Reverence: An Easter Story
by Sailor Silver Ladybug
Summary: Holiday Series: Book 4. With Usagi kidnapped and the children missing, Mamoru is a wreck and the other heroes aren't much better. A daring rescue attempt is planned to bring Usagi home to her family. While the search for Usagi and the children continues, our warriors fight for love, for justice, and each other. Meet original and altered characters in the continued epic battle.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **Well hello everyone! I bet you still hate me for that little cliffhanger... okay, rather large cliffhanger. In my defense, I did warn you I was splitting the story into two. He he he. I'm awful. I promise there wont be such a major cliffhanger in this story... just a little teeny one. Hope this prologue answers a few of your questions, and gets you excited for more.

So you might be interested to know, some of this was actually written before I even finished the last story. I had thought about putting in an April Fool's Day prank or two, but I wasn't really sure about it, and to be completely honest, I'm not sure it fits with the theme, so I wrote a one shot for it... in my Love Shots Series: titled Prank Wars

_Reader response time_: We all know there are several movies about Sailor Moon, and I've already done Fiore's story, so that leaves two major ones. I have some ideas for both but I want to know what you think. I was hoping to slip one in before I start season three. Which one would you like to see first? Also, there are some interesting side stories in the Manga. Do any of you want to see one of those? Let me know because this Holiday Series is just getting started...

* * *

**Reverence**: **An Easter Story  
Holiday Series: Book Four**  
**Prologue**

* * *

If you haven't read the first three books... you might want to or this opening scene will confuse you.

* * *

_***Tomatsu (Fiore's) POV***_

As he watched the wedding, Tomatsu slipped his arm around Natsume's waist. It was finally getting easier to remember his earth name, and he was grateful, but his focus now was on the love that had been growing between himself and the others. His co-mate, Seijoru, grinned at him as he held little Akane, who was sleeping soundly in her little white lace dress.

The wedding was filling his head with wonderful ideas, and he couldn't help but think about what it would be like to be married. His mind wandered to thoughts of a Soul-Bond like his friend Mamoru shared with Usagi, and now Kunzite shared with Minako. They were all quite aware of the reason the couple had been late to their own wedding, though it was a difficult concept to understand. Physical intimacy was new for his species, but from the grin Minako wore, he thought perhaps it was a wonderful thing. And if it was a wonderful thing, he wanted to experience it for himself. He had doubts however.

Would they be able to bond the same way when there were two males who loved Natsume? It didn't seem possible. Theirs was an unconventional relationship after all, and he wasn't sure about the laws and customs of Earth. He sighed though, happily, at the looks of love between Kunzite and Minako, trying to push his own problems out of his mind so he could be there for them on their day.

His eyes caught the decorations again and he couldn't help the grin. He'd heard the stories of Minako and Kunzite. As Sailor V and the Dark General, they'd actually fought one another while he'd been under the influence of the Dark Energy from some maleficent force called Metallia. But he was whole and healthy finally, thanks to Usagi. The arcade had been decorated with all sorts of Sailor V memorabelia, including posters of the two engaged in battle. It was a bit dramatic, but it suited the pair.

Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the makeshift altar that had been set up at the counter. The judge had just pronounced Kunzite and Minako married, and told Kunzite he could kiss her when all hell broke loose. Without really thinking about what he was doing, he gathered his little family into his arms, his back to the blast, and held tight as they were thrown, calling out to Mother for help and protection. He couldn't let them be hurt, especially the baby.

Something hit his head, and darkness took him.

* * *

_***Hotaru's POV***_

Shingo slipped his hand into hers as Kunzite and Minako spoke their vows. She couldn't help the blush that rose up over her, too pale, cheeks. She liked Shingo, but neither of them was ready for the type of relationships the older teens had. Still, having him as her best friend was more than enough, and she was grateful he was at her side as they watched their friends get married.

As Kunzite bent to kiss Minako, there was a wave of sound, heat, and pressure. She felt herself being pushed forward, but Shingo's hand clung to her own and pulled her against him. She screamed, the sound drawn unwillingly from her lungs, and turned to face him as they were both flung to the ground. She closed her eyes and ducked her head against his chest. The sound of glass shattering and metal screeching rang in her ears for a long moment before they were hit by what felt like a truck.

Her throat ached when the scream ended. Something heavy lay on top of them, and she couldn't push it off. Unable to move, she sobbed helplessly as she lay in the darkened space.

"Shh Hotaru, I'm here," Shingo said. "I've got you Firefly."

She sniffled and dug her head into him, unsure what to do. He seemed to be okay, and she thought she was too, though her hip hurt and her legs were in pain.

"You okay Shingo?" she whispered.

"I think so. I hear people moving around and talking. They'll find us soon, I promise."

"Should we call out to them?" she asked.

"I think so," Shingo said, then he shouted that they were there and were okay. She snuggled against him. The only thing holding her from the edge of panic was his soothing voice in the dark.

* * *

_***Haruki's POV***_

While Mamoru and Usagi henshined and made their way out to fight, Haruki continued to dig through the rubble. Game machines lay on their sides, tables and chairs littered the floor, and shards of glass crunched under his feet. He was grateful for those who had been found already, and thankful that there seemed to be no deaths. But the search wasn't over. He had to find the sisters, Fiore and the others, and most importantly, the children.

He heard a groan and realized there was someone close. Throwing a table to the side, Haruki moved to help Tomatsu (Fiore) up. Under him, Seijoru and Natsume both clung to baby Akane, whose eyes were closed. Haruki snatched the child up, worried, and sent healing into her. The moment he pulled her away from Natsume she woke and began to fuss. There was a bruise on her head and it looked like perhaps her little foot was broken.

Very carefully he focused his healing, he didn't want to overwhelm the little one. Threads of orange light sunk into her skin and disappeared. Her eyes finally opened and she blinked up at him. A relieved breath huffed out of him and he hardly noticed Fiore helping the others to their feet. He shook with the aftermath of his worry, and finally handed the baby back to Natusme before he turned away, not ashamed of the tears that ran down his face, but more determined than ever to find the other children.

* * *

_***Helios' POV***_

He was in the field of flowers when he felt it. Something was about to happen that would destroy his future, and possibly the future of the planet. He didn't understand it at first until he heard a mental scream.

Without so much as a thought, he closed his eyes, reached out, and pulled his future to himself. When he opened them again he gasped. Instead of just one, there were four children standing around him. He knew them, or knew their dreams. But it was Chibi-Usa, the far-future queen, who held him captive. She was shivering in fright, but hadn't let go of the others.

Then her eyes lifted and met his. For just a moment the world seemed to tilt. His heart sped within his chest, and he stepped forward instinctively. Her hands dropped and she moved to meet him halfway. He might only be eight years old, but he knew that he was looking at his soulmate, his future wife. Unsure what to say, he cleared his throat.

She blinked and her mouth opened. Helios waited, holding his breath, to hear the first words she spoke to him. He watched as she licked her lips and opened her mouth again. "Where are we?" she asked finally.

"Elysion," Helios whispered, unsure why his voice had come out so shaky.

"Elysion," she breathed. "Then you're..." she trailed off, blushing slightly.

Helios gulped but nodded. Chibi-Mamo moved to stand slightly in front of his sister but she pushed past him and walked forward, glaring at her brother. Helios grinned. Well, his soulmate was certainly no pushover.

* * *

_***Usagi's POV***_

The battle was over. She thought everyone must have been accounted for in the time they were fighting. Sailor Moon swiped her hand over her brow to stop sweat from falling into her eyes. The others released their henshin and she mimicked them, tired and sore. But they had to clear the rubble and make sure the building was structually sound and get everyone, especially the children, out of there just in case. She was worried about them. They should have been close to her parents, but hadn't been when they'd started the search.

Everything had happened at once and the whole thing had been so overwhelming. When she'd realized Motoki wasn't breathing after he'd been healed it had frightened her more than she could say. Worry for the others was still strong. She didn't know if the Ayakashi sisters were alright, or Natsume and her family. She had so many people she loved and cared about that it was frightening. Any of them could have been seriously hurt. At least Haruki had stayed inside to deal with any injuries.

A hand wrapped around her waist just as she was preparing to step through the destroyed window frame and she gasped. Mamoru was just in front of her. She looked up and over her shoulder to see a man with dark blue hair and blue eyes. She didn't know who he was, but if Mamoru saw him touching her then he would freak. She opened her mouth to warn him, but then felt a strange pressure, like the feeling of teleportation. She gasped, causing Mamoru to turn. When her eyes caught on his she pleaded mentally for help, but she wasn't sure if he heard her before the connection seemed to dim.

She found herself in a ship and screamed, fighting as hard as she could, struggling the arms that were banded around her, dragging her towards a slivery doorway filled with green light. She didn't want to get near the light and kicked wildly. Her hand went to her brooch, but before she could transform, the man had pulled it off her chest. He forced her to the arch and she was shoved through.

"Good. You've finally returned my property," said a voice above her.

It took Usagi a moment to realize she was on the ground, her hands and knees aching from the impact. She lifted her head and caught sight of the man who had spoken. Silvery-white hair, an off-white suit with hints of lavender, traced with black scrollwork. He wore a cape, and on his forehead was the black crescent moon, hung upside down. She gasped in horror. She knew that face, and what was going to happen soon. A shudder ran through her, and she bit her lip in fear.

_'No_,' she thought. She wasn't going to show him how frightened she was. Slowly, carefully, she stood and met his gaze, squaring her shoulders. She just had to make it back through the archway. Then someone came up behind her and a necklace was put over her head. Instantly weakness overcame her. She noticed a purple-black crystal before her eyes slid closed and the world disappeared.

* * *

_***Petz's POV***_

She groaned, shifting carefully. Something heavy lay on top of her, and she couldn't move. Everything hurt. Her head, her neck, her shoulders and back. But the screaming agony came from her legs. She thought perhaps both of them were broken.

Something moved by her feet and she coughed as dust filtered down over her face.

"Is someone there?" came a voice. She thought it might be Setsuna, but she wasn't sure.

"Yeah," Petz choked out, and coughed again. "I'm trapped under something heavy."

There was a sudden enraged scream from somewhere off to her left. She gasped as she realized it was Mamoru calling for Usagi.

"Usako!" he shouted, and then something loud crashed.

"Hurry, tell him I know where to find her," she heard someone else say. Rubeus. That was Rubeus. And then he was closer. "Have you found someone?"

"Petz. She's hurt badly I think. There's a lot of blood around her legs. We need Mamoru to heal her the moment we get this machine off her."

"Who can calm him?" Rubeus asked.

"Ikuko is the only one, unless someone finds the kids."

"You go bring her to him. I think... is that Berthier?" he asked, frowning. Petz turned her head to the side and saw her sister, her arm was bent at an awkward angle and there was a table lying on top of her, but she was breathing, and that was what mattered.

"Where are the others?" Petz asked, unable to help herself.

"Calaveras and Koan are both alright. I got to them a minute ago," said another voice. Petz recognized Motoki, who worked at the arcade. She thought she remembered he was the son of the owner, but her mind was fuzzy.

"I don't feel very well," she whispered, as the room seemed to fuzz in and out in front of her face. "I think I need to... sleep." Her eyes closed and she felt herself drawn down into darkness.


	2. Chapter 1

**Reverence**: **An Easter Story  
Holiday Series: Book Four**  
**Chapter One**

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**Possible Trigger Warning**

* * *

_***Dimande's POV***_

Dimande stared down at the sleeping girl in his bed, his lips curving into a smile. She was his now. The stupid future king would never get her back. She would be his queen and he would rule the world. The whole solar system. With her power he was sure he could soon take over the entire galaxy.

Gently he traced her cheek. The wings on her dress stuck up behind her, framing her head and the blonde hair that lay over the pillows. She truly was beautiful, though her hair wasn't fully silver yet. He knew that would come with time. Soon she would look like the queen he had longed for all these years.

A knock sounded on the door and he turned as his younger brother poked his head into the room. Anger coursed through him. He didn't want to be interrupted. He wanted to stare at his prize. The hologram he had been forced to endure in her absence had never been enough. Still, he knew he had to speak.

"Why do you disturb me?" he asked, letting a harsh note enter his tone.

"Wiseman has asked to speak with you regarding a possible rescue attempt," Saphir said, his head bowed respectfully.

Tapping his finger on his chin, Dimande thought of that. It was possible someone would attempt to rescue her, but there was no way they could find the castle on Nemesis. Still, he wanted to make sure of it. He nodded and strode across the room to his brother, taking one last look at the young woman he had finally claimed for himself.

Her skin had been so soft. Her body young, still not fully developed. No matter. Soon she would finish growing, and until then he would train her to be the wife he wanted. She would meet his every need... whether she wanted to or not. He took one last look before exiting the room.

* * *

_***Saphir's POV***_

Saphir glared at the door to Wiseman's chambers, wishing he could follow his brother inside and break the strange spell the ancient one had put on him. Ever since they had come to this strange planet, his brother had changed, until he barely recognized the man he once had been. It wasn't right, what he was doing, what he was planning to do. But he could not disobey, no matter how much he wished to.

That stupid gift Wiseman had given Dimande made sure that everyone obeyed. He shuddered at the memory of being ordered to collect the girl, the strange sideways eye that had suddenly opened on the prince's forehead... it was hideous. The feeling of filth that had crept over him. The powerlessness to fight back. He shuddered.

Worse, he knew what was going to happen to the girl. And there was nothing he could do to stop it. Or was there?

He turned away and strode back to his brother's rooms. There had to be something he could do to help the girl. He hadn't been ordered not to give her the brooch. That was something. He hadn't been ordered not to give her any hope for escape.

With that thought in mind, he focused on all the orders he hadn't been given. He frowned as he thought through all the possibilities and made his decisions quickly. He had to be gone before his brother returned.

Making his way into the room he took a better look at the girl, and shuddered again. His brother had changed her clothing. That alone was a violation. He wondered what she would think when she awoke. Very carefully he made his way to the bed and pulled the brooch out of his subspace pocket, nestling it in the folds of the blanket beside her hand. He had to hope it was enough.

Then, as quietly as he could, he crept to the window, and unhooked the latch. It didn't matter that they weren't on the ground. Sailor Moon was powerful. She could jump. And failing that, perhaps one of the others could help her. He couldn't stand by and do nothing.

* * *

_***Mamoru's POV***_

As he worked to heal Petz, Mamoru's mind was a million miles away. The children still hadn't been found. Usagi had been taken from him, and there were still injuries to be healed. His best friend's family arcade had been destroyed, and he still had to look into his father-in-law's eyes and tell him he'd failed to stop Usagi from being taken. It was just too much. His heart felt as though it was breaking into a million pieces.

Tears streaked his cheeks. He didn't care if anyone saw. He couldn't hear Usagi in his head anymore. He couldn't feel her emotions. The Bond was still there. He knew she was alive, and that was something, but he couldn't get the memory of her words out of his head. She'd dreamed about it, about being taken. She knew there was a chance something awful was going to happen to her. How could he have turned away, not watched her every moment? He should have kept his eyes on her. He'd been so worried about the children he'd forgotten the danger to her hadn't passed.

Worse, he'd been warned. Hadn't his future self said to stay with her? Hadn't he given him that peculiar head shake to tell him it was important? Biting his lip he focused on healing the injured, but his heart was with his tiny little wife, wherever she was.

Setsuna and Rubeus were talking quietly. Somehow the man hadn't lost his memories like the girls had. That was the only thing keeping Mamoru from losing it. He had to focus on the fact that with Setsuna and Rubeus he could somehow get to her. He had to. He just had to.

When Petz and Berthier were both healed, he turned to look around. It seemed everyone was accounted for except Usagi and the children. How was it that the people he had failed to protect were the ones he loved the most? Was he destined to lose everyone he loved?

There was an ache in his knees and he realized he had hit the ground hard. It occurred to him that if he didn't get his family back, he didn't want to be a part of the world anymore. He felt numb and his chest ached. He rubbed at it, hoping to relieve the pressure, but it continued. He sighed and buried his head in his hands.

A soft touch on his head startled Mamoru and he peered up into Ikuko-mama's face. Her eyes were red-rimmed and tears leaked down her cheeks, but she knelt in front of him and took his hands in hers. With a gentle squeeze she tried to reassure him.

"You will get her back Mamoru. I know it. You'll bring her home. That's your only focus. Don't worry about the kids. The others will take care of them. Just bring Usagi home."

His voice cracked when he finally spoke. "I love her."

"I know Mamoru. I know. And that's why I know you'll find her. You won't ever give up. Setsuna and Rubeus are going to help you go somewhere." Her brow furrowed. "I guess somewhen. You have to go and bring her home to all of us."

Mamoru nodded his head. Ikuko opened her arms and he fell into her embrace, sobbing. "I'm sorry," he choked out. "I'm so sorry."

"This wasn't your fault Mamoru. Just focus on bringing her home."

* * *

_***Shingo's POV***_

Running his sleeve over his nose, Shingo tried to stop the flow of tears. He didn't really care that the others saw him cry. If his dad and Mamoru and Haruki could cry, then he could too. But he had to focus. He had his own mission. Mamoru would bring his sister home. He refused to believe otherwise.

Shingo was going to focus on the kids. They needed him and the others just as much as Usagi needed Mamoru. He nodded his head in determination, and turned to survey the room. There was little left to uncover. Two corners and one side of the counter. He knew that first responders were already on their way and they all had to work quickly.

Hotaru touched his arm and pointed to a pile of tables haphazardly blocking the hallway into the restrooms and break area. Perhaps the children had been blown there. He nodded to her and together they picked their way through the rubble and debris and began to work.

* * *

_***Esmeraude's POV***_

Esmeraude sighed with relief when Saphir left the room. She couldn't be caught at her task. She shook her head, still not understanding what had drawn her here, to help the little one on the bed. She only knew she had to help.

Saphir had put something next to the girl. She hoped it wasn't something dangerous. Then he'd gone to the window before hurrying from the room. She didn't know how strongly he was pulled to obey Wiseman and Dimande. Her pull to obey was incredibly strong, but there was a little voice inside her that said what was going to happen was wrong.

The girl was still sleeping. That wasn't good. The Maleficent Black Crystal was strong. She crept closer to the bed and slipped it off her. The girl immediately stirred. She had to get her out of the castle and off Nemesis, but she didn't know how. As much as she loved Dimande, he was wrong. He couldn't take this girl from her family, or do what he wanted with her without regard to her feelings.

She could stomach battling a queen. She could even handle spying. She could fight to the death if she had to.

But she wouldn't be a party to what he had planned.

She bit her lip as she slunk back into the darkness, not willing to stay where she could be seen. Wiseman would kill her without hesitation if he knew that she was interfering. His plan seemed to be keeping Dimande distracted, and this girl was how he planned to do that. She felt horrible for the little one. She couldn't be much older than fifteen years. She wasn't a queen yet, and had no understanding of the war that had raged for years.

Unwilling to leave the girl for even a moment, Esmeraude hid in the shadows and kept a silent vigil as the young one began to wake.

* * *

_***Setsuna's POV***_

"Mamoru, it's time," she said, trying to keep her voice hopeful. The fact that they had seen their future selves said there was a chance for Usagi. The disappearance of the children had made her question that for a time, but it wasn't only the twins who had disappeared. That had to mean they were still buried in the arcade or they had managed to escape somehow.

Setsuna waited patiently for Mamoru to make his way to where she stood with Rubeus. He didn't look up to meet their eyes, but she understood. He was dealing with heavy emotions that weighted him down.

"Mamoru, you need to listen carefully," she explained. "Are you listening?"

The teen merely nodded, still not looking up.

"Look at me," Setsuna insisted.

Finally Mamoru lifted his head and she gasped at what she saw in his eyes. Death. If he didn't get Usagi back, he wouldn't survive. And it was likely he would take out anyone and everyone who stood in his way.

"I'm going to hand you a key. You're going to hold onto it and repeat the words I say, and you will be pulled into the future. Rubeus has given me the exact date. You will find her and bring her home."

"Make your way to the Crystal Palace," Rubeus said, his voice shaking as he stared at the broken young man before them. "It is protected. You will find answers there. I believe your wife will already be on Nemesis, but you need a location first. There are maps within the castle computers I'm sure. Don't give up hope. She won't have been killed."

Mamoru nodded, and reached out his hand for the key. Setsuna sighed and put it in his hand. "Repeat after me. **_Guardian of time! Tear apart the sky and open the Door of Space-time to me! I call your true name, the almighty god of time, the guardian of time's father, Chronos! Guidance to me! Protection to me! The path of light to me!"_**

Mamoru repeated her words, holding up the key, and was enveloped in light and pulled away. Setsuna sighed and turned to the others.

"He'll find her," she said, trying to sound confident.

"He will," Kunzite said, steel in his voice as he wrapped his arms around Minako. Setsuna could only nod. She didn't remember much of her past life. She didn't fully understand how deep the Soul-Bond went. She only knew she already felt like she would die if she lost Haruki. She shuddered at the thought of never having met him. Of living a lonely existence on the fringes, always alone, always on guard.

As though he had heard her thoughts, Haruki made his way to her side and put an arm around her waist. "You aren't alone," he whispered.

* * *

_***Usagi's POV***_

As Usagi woke she heard something, but it faded away before she was able to pull her eyes open. Her eyelids felt heavy, weighted. Her whole body felt strange, as though there were weights tied to her. Her mind didn't want to work properly either. Something was wrong and she didn't understand.

The air was a bit chilled and she wondered if Mamoru had stolen the covers. He wasn't much of a blanket hog, but it had happened once or twice.

"Am I sick?" she whispered, unsure why she felt so weak. Then memories began crashing down over her and Usagi remembered. She had been taken. She struggled to sit up, thankful her hands and feet were unbound.

Rubbing her eyes quickly, she looked at her surroundings. She was in a massive room. Tall pillars reached the ceiling, which was cloaked in darkness, as were the outer edges of the chamber. She shook her head. It was gaudy and ostentatious. And far too big. No wonder it was cold.

She pulled her knees up and ran her fingers over the silky material of her gown, then frowned. It wasn't her dress. In fact, she'd never seen it before. Her fingers shook as she traced it. There was a weight on her shoulders and she turned her head, catching sight of something behind her back. She grabbed at it and pulled the edge of a cloth wing over her shoulder.

"What the hell..." her voice trailed off and she shivered again, this time not from the cold. Someone had changed her clothing. Anger and fear welled up within her as she recalled the strange man's words. She was no one's possession.

Reality struck home and Usagi wondered where her brooch had gone. In a blind panic she stood up from the bed and immediately hit her knees. "Ouch!" Huffing in irritation, she turned and looked back. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she found the transformation aid and held it up.

"Moon Crystal Power, Make up!" she cried, hating that her voice sounded weak and wobbly.

The transformation didn't come. Usagi slumped to the floor, unsure what her next move should be. She was weak and completely devoid of energy. She turned and gazed around her prison. There was a set of tall double doors, and two small windows. Those were the only avenues out of the room.

"Door first," she muttered under her breath and made her way to them, hanging onto the bedposts at first before she wobbled her way to them, her legs quivering. They didn't open. She sighed and leaned her head against the dark surface, fighting back tears.

Shaking her head, she forced herself to turn and make her way to the windows, tucking the brooch into her pocket as she went. She had made it halfway back to the bed when the door opened behind her. She turned around and gasped when she saw the man who had claimed her. Carefully she backed away from him, not wanting to be anywhere near. He followed her.

"I see you're awake," he said, his voice almost pleasant. "Good. It's time for you to become my wife."

Usagi shook her head wildly. There was no way she was marrying this man. No way she would let him near her. She'd die first. She took another step back, careful to avoid the bed.

"I'm already married," she said in an apologetic tone. She didn't want to anger him. Yet.

"That marriage will be annulled. We will make a different future. With you at my side I can rule the galaxy."

Usagi shook her head. "No thanks. I'm happy just being little ol' me. I love my husband and I think I'll keep him."

The man's face turned red, then almost seemed to become purple in his anger. He took a step forward and backhanded her across her left cheek, causing her head to whip to the side painfully, her neck to ache, and her little remaining balance to fail her as she landed hard on the floor.

Staring up at him, Usagi felt fear crawl up her throat. She had no idea what to do. She needed help. Fast.


	3. Chapter 2

**Reverence**: **An Easter Story  
Holiday Series: Book Four**  
**Chapter Two**

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**Trigger Warning:** Attempted Assault and Aftermath

**Note:** If this is a major trigger for you, please skip to the very end of the chapter and I will give a brief synopsis of what you need to know to continue the story

* * *

***Mamoru's POV***

The swirling winds of the time vortex tore at Mamoru's hair and clothing. He stood in their center, impatiently waiting for the chaos to release him into whatever future it was where Usagi was being held. He would save her, or die trying. She was more than just his wife, more than just his friend, or the future mother of his children. She was his heart, his soul. The only one who keep the darkness at bay. She had saved him in so many ways, and he was determined, this time, he was going to save her.

When the howling stopped Mamoru opened his eyes. He stared at his surroundings. He was in a strange place. In front of him stood a massive door with curling scrollwork and small golden handles. It didn't impress him. It didn't shock him. Mamoru was numb.

"You're here," said a voice from behind him. "That means Usagi has been taken. Quickly, you have little time."

Mamoru spun to face the one speaking. He wasn't surprised to see Setsuna. An older, wiser version of the young teen he knew and loved stood, her fuku the same as always, hands folded in front of her. Her eyes shone with understanding and sorrow.

"Come," she said when he didn't answer her. She gently took his arm and led him to a place where swirling clouds blocked the view. "Through here. You will walk straight forward, turning neither right, or left. You will go straight to the Crystal Palace. Inside, follow the path straight and then take your first left to reach the command center. Your guide will meet you there. Do you understand?"

Mamoru nodded once, and then stepped forward. He barely felt her hand fall away as he moved toward the only hope he had. The clouds were cool, caressing his skin with hints of moisture. He walked forward, not even bothering to look in any other direction.

The clouds stretched for an indeterminable amount of time, covering everything and blocking his sight. Usagi had been gone nearly an hour if he was reckoning correctly. He couldn't slow or stop. He had to keep moving forward. Always forward.

Feeling empty and alone, Mamoru finally stepped out of the mist and into destruction. The world around him was a wasteland. Littered with lifeless trees, broken and shattered buildings, and the unclaimed dead, the landscape was a bitter image of how he felt inside. Without his Usako, he was nothing.

A spark of light caught his eye and he saw a shimmering castle in the distance. It was no wonder they had named it the Crystal palace. It looked as though the entire thing had been hand wrought from crystal. Without stopping his forward progression, he stared at it, a hint of awe creeping into him.

Still, he could focus only on his task. Bringing Usagi home.

The castle didn't seem to be growing closer. Desperate to reach his wife, Mamoru sped his pace. Then again, and again until he was running, leaping over obstacles he refused to really look at. His heart raced wildly in his chest, not from exertion, but from pain. He had to reach her before it was too late.

He knew the monster that had stolen Usagi wouldn't kill her. No. Instead he would hurt her in a way that would haunt her forever. He couldn't let that happen. He loved his wild, carefree, klutzy, slightly crazy wife just the way she was. Regardless of what happened, he would love her still, and support her, but the thought of watching her tears tore at him like a festering wound.

The palace loomed over him. Mamoru hurried inside, shivering as he passed through a chilly barrier, and made his way through the long entrance hall. He saw hallways dividing the path into a cross. Future Sets had told him to take the left path. He did, running down the long hallway, his footsteps echoing in the crystal halls. He reached a command center vastly more advanced than the one in the arcade. Panting, he came to a stop. In front of him, facing the monitors, was a man. He didn't turn at the sound of Mamoru's entrance.

"You are my guide," he said, stepping toward him.

"I am," came a voice that was far too familiar. He knew that voice. It was his own. Slightly aged, the man's shoulders were hunched as though he were in great pain. Finally he turned and pointed above him at the screen. "This is Nemesis," he said.

"Nemesis," Mamoru repeated, nodding his head.

"This is where he has Usagi. You have only one chance to save her before he hurts her more than you or I could ever imagine. Events have been set in motion that will help you rescue her. Two inside the castle have betrayed their prince. Because of them, you can save her."

"How," Mamoru growled at himself, staring at the planet on the monitor.

"Do you feel her yet?" his future self asked.

Mamoru shook his head. Of course he didn't feel her. If he had the smallest glimmer of her, he would already be at her side. Striding forward, Mamoru swung at him. "Why didn't you tell me!?" he screamed. "Why didn't you say when he would take her?" The blow went right through him, and Mamoru realized his future self was nothing more than a hologram. He fell to his knees.

"Because the future changes," future Mamoru explained. "There have been dozens of versions of this reality that I know of, and probably thousands of others I don't. Anything I said could have changed this one, but each change leads to greater and greater difference. I could have wiped our future children from existence with a single word. In one reality, I almost did. I broke up with my Usako, and it broke her heart. She almost died because I was too stupid to realize we were stronger together. I didn't want to make the same mistake in this reality."

"How do you know all this?" Mamoru asked, staring up at the anguished face of his holographic future self.

"I can't tell you, or I could damage that too," came the soft reply. "Soon you will feel Usagi's presence in your mind again. Esmeraude is about to remove the necklace. As soon as she does you will be drawn to our little Usako. You wont be able to teleport within the castle walls. Instead, you must land just outside the castle and climb to her. Can you do this?"

"For Usagi I can do anything," Mamoru said, not exaggerating in the slightest. He would willingly walk through fire for her.

"There are two you can trust to help you within the castle," his future self said, frowning slightly. "The one who took her, and the woman with green hair. If you see either of them, do not strike. They may be the only thing that keeps either of you alive."

"Hie," Mamoru said, unable to speak further as the lump of grief in his throat seemed to swell and choke his words.

"Bring her back. And remember, no matter what has happened, she is still our Usagi."

Mamoru only nodded and waited for the moment when he would feel Usagi's presence in his mind once more.

* * *

Dimande stared at the little blonde on the floor in front of him. '_A kiss_,' he thought. A kiss would make her see she should love him instead of that awful Neo-King Endymion. He put his hands on her shoulders and lifted her gently to stand in front of him.

He bent to kiss her, but she turned her face away from him. '_No matter_,' he thought. He turned her head with the palm of his hand on her cheek and let his third eye open. Now he put the full force of his demand into his eye and stared at her with it as he lowered his head again. This time his lips met hers. Silent tears poured down her cheeks as she stared at him in horror.

Then something happened he could never have predicted. The girl struggled in his arms, closing her eyes and turning her head away from his gaze. Enraged, he threw her to the mattress and punched her in the gut. If she wouldn't let him do things the easy way, she would have to handle a bit of pain. Either way, she was going to be his bride, and she had better get used to it.

A surprisingly strong kick caught him off guard and hit him hard between the legs. He was knocked backwards and the girl rolled off the bed, hitting the floor. He screamed in rage and strode toward her, anger overcoming his pain.

* * *

Saphir stood looking over the castle wall. Wind whipped at his hair as he stared into the distance, unseeing. He knew, even now, his brother was in his chambers. If the girl hadn't escaped by the time he'd returned, it was likely she was even now being forced to do something that would haunt her forever.

He couldn't stomach the thought of it. His mind focused on the one bright spot in his own life. Petz. She had been saved, somehow, by the girl that was probably being harmed while he stood in safety. He was helpless to stop it from happening.

He conjured an image of a smile he knew well and thought of the way Petz could make him laugh no matter the situation. Her snarky sarcasm never failed to amaze him. He sighed, wishing he could go into the past and see her once more.

There was a strange light below him. It caught his eye and he stared in wonder at the young man who stepped out of the light and raced toward the castle. Along the wall, droids were stationed. With a frown he destroyed them before they could sound the alarm. It wasn't much, but it was all he could do. He wasn't certain he wouldn't be destroyed by Wiseman for even that little gift.

He watched in amazement as the younger version of the king stormed up to the very walls of the castle and began to climb as though he knew exactly where he was going. His hands and feet were almost a blur as he scaled the walls. Saphir silently cheered him on.

* * *

Esmeraude watched, horrified, from the shadows as the prince advanced on the small teenage girl. She looked weak and helpless as his hand went around her throat and he lifted her to her feet. She watched, horrified, not sure what she could do to help.

"Do not defy me," Prince Dimande said, his voice full of menace.

The girl kicked her legs and tugged at the hand blocking her airway. In a blind panic Esmeraude prayed for something, anything to stop the prince before he did something he would never forgive himself for. This wasn't the man she had fallen in love with all those years before. She turned her head away when Prince Dimande put his hand to the front of the girl's gown and tore it down the center.

Hesitantly, she stepped out of the shadows. She had to do something, fast.

* * *

Usagi struggled for breath as the man pressed her down into the mattress, his hand still around her throat. She struggled against him, fighting to lift his hand as black spots formed in her vision. He smacked her, hard, with his other hand, and then reached to tear the dress from her. She kicked and struggled, her hands scratching at his arms, and then his face, but nothing made him release his grip.

Panic welled up inside her, but there was nothing she could do. She didn't want to simply go limp, which was the only way he would release her, she was sure. But she didn't have any other plan. There was no hope. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she struggled for breath.

And then an avenging angel broke through the window and flew into the room. Dimande was torn off of her and thrown, hard, against the far wall. Tuxedo Kamen's strong arms wrapped around Usagi and she went easily into his embrace. He didn't stop, didn't turn to fight the prince again. He only held her close, wrapped his cloak around her, and raced back toward the window.

She shivered as the cloak covered her completely, protecting her against the broken glass as Tuxedo Kamen launched himself into the air. Pressure took them both, and then endless dark surrounded them for a heartbeat before she found herself in a brightly lit room inside a world created entirely from Crystal.

"I've got you Usako," she heard the familiar voice, felt the rumble of it against her ear, and sighed in relief.

His henshin faded, the cloak disappearing as he sank to his knees with her held to his chest. She reached up and touched his cheek. It hadn't been very long they'd been separated. Hours only, but it felt as though a hundred years had passed. She clung to him, not yet ready to face what had happened.

There was a sound in the distance and Mamoru's face lifted. He stood and carried her down a corridor to a large room filled with computers. She watched in awe as his future self turned and gave a relieved smile.

"I hate to break up this reunion," he said in a gentle voice, "but we're about to have company. Usagi, do you think you have enough energy to save two more?"

* * *

The moment the couple disappeared, Dimande went into a rage, throwing dark energy around the room as he screamed.

"No! No! No! Bring her back! She's mine!"

A squeak of fear escaped Esmeraude's throat and Dimande turned to stare at her. As he advanced on her, she backed up, terrified. Esmeraude screamed as Dimande threw her to the ground.

"What were you doing in my room?" he screamed his question, spittle hitting her in the face.

No, this was not the man she loved.

She heard a sound and her eyes barely caught the opening of the door. Dimande was too enraged to notice his brother walking slowly up to him, hand lifted. She gasped as Saphir threw an attack at Dimande, knocking him to the side, and snatched her away from him. Then she felt herself flying and a heavy pressure. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in the center of Crystal Tokyo, staring up at the palace. Saphir had a gentle hold on her arm as he yelled out to whoever remained inside.

"We mean you no harm. Help us. Please!"

A figure strode out of the palace. Esmeraude gasped in shock at the sight of Neo-King Endymion. He moved quickly toward them and stopped only paces away. His eyes searched their faces and she wondered what he was thinking.

"Let Sailor Moon heal you, and you may come inside."

"Sailor Moon is already gone," Saphir said, sounding defeated. "Your younger self took her nearly half an hour ago."

The king shook his head. "No," he said softly. "Sailor Moon is standing right behind you."

Esmeraude turned and stared at Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen. In her own lifetime she had never seen them in fighting form except once, and they were both vastly different than they were in this much younger form. There were no wings on Sailor Moon, and Tuxedo Kamen held no scepter in his hand.

Saphir spoke before she could think to reply. "Please heal us." He paused for a long minute. "Don't think too harshly of my brother. He is not the man we knew. Wiseman has corrupted him."

Sailor Moon didn't reply. She simply lifted the Moon Wand and spoke, "Moon Healing Escalation."

Esmeraude gasped as the healing light touched her. Images of her life before she'd joined Dimande and Wiseman swamped her mind. Laughing in a bright park as Dimande chased her. Eating an ice cream as she talked to Petz, who was her best friend in the world. Working on her wedding kimono with her mother, who insisted every young woman should make her own. Dances at her school, walks in the bright moonlight, and time spent simply enjoying life.

She gasped as the healing light faded, and fell to her knees. Confusion struck as she wondered how everything had changed. She'd been in the park, simply sitting with Dimande and Saphir as they discussed a treaty that was about to be signed. There had been a man in a hooded cloak, and then nothing until she'd woken in her chamber on Nemesis, ready to fight a battle against those in Crystal Tokyo. She'd hated everything and everyone associated with the palace.

"What happened to us?" she asked.

"Wiseman," growled Saphir. "Wiseman happened. We weren't like this! I have to save my brother!"

"Don't worry," said the King and he turned to stare.

Esmeraude turned as well, only now realizing he was only a holographic image. She waited, impatiently, for him to explain. When he said nothing more she growled. "We have to save him," she said, then bravado failed her and the rest of her words came out in a whimper. "I love him."

"As I said," Neo-King Endymion said in a strong voice. "Don't worry. He will come to us. But first, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen need some time, and the two of you are probably exhausted and confused. Come, eat and rest."

Esmeraude turned again to apologize to the girl for what she had been put through, only to find there was no one there.

* * *

Mamoru held tightly to Usagi as he sat her at the edge of the bed. Her henshin released, he could see she was wearing clothing that was not her own. Her breath hitched in a sob and he struggled not to go back and destroy Dimande and pull the castle down brick by brick until he found Wiseman. It didn't matter to him that Dimande had been twisted. He'd terrified and assaulted Usagi, and that could not be simply wiped away with healing. She would struggle with those memories for the rest of her life.

The torn dress opened down the front, showing her breasts. He was grateful Dimande hadn't finished his horrible task, but that didn't make it less of an ordeal for his love. He stood and went to the closet the king had told him to find. Inside he found simple clothing, all Usagi's. He sighed in relief when he discovered jeans and t-shirts. There was a zippered, hooded sweater with little hpping bunnies on a pink background. It wasn't her favorite bunny sweater, but it would do in a pinch. He carefully gathered undergarments as it had been obvious hers had been taken, and found thick comfortable socks and a pair of bright pink tennis shoes.

That done he brought everything into the massive bathroom and went back to the bed for her. He lifted her gently into his arms and carried her to the tub, where he sat her gently on the edge and stripped the ruined dress from her shoulders. He wanted to burn it, but he was more focused on his wife, and how he could make her feel better.

He drew a bath and added some coconut shampoo to the water to create thick bubbles. Then he stripped out of his own clothing and stepped into the hot water, carefully lifting her into the tub.

Usagi didn't speak, and hardly moved except to do what he asked. She lifted her arms and legs for him so he could wash her gently, then lay there in silence as he washed her private areas with the thick, soft washcloth that had been provided.

When it was done, he lay back and simply pulled her into his arms. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, trying to keep the rage he was feeling out of his voice. None of what had happened had been her fault.

She shook her head, but a moment later began to speak, all in a rush. "I couldn't stop him. He kissed me, and I couldn't stop him. And then I was fighting and fighting, but no matter what I did, it wasn't enough. I tried so hard..."

Finally she broke down. Mamoru had been waiting for it, knowing some sort of release was necessary after what she had experienced. He just held her and let her cry, murmuring to her that she was safe. By the time her tears ended the water had chilled and they were both worn out.

Mamoru pulled the stopper for the tub, thinking of nothing but getting her warm and dry. He helped her stand and used the edge of the tub to get to his own feet before grabbing a thick, fuzzy towel from the rack and wrapping it around her. He put another around his waist, but was more focused on how he could take care of his wife, and make sure she knew she was safe, and that nothing could ever change the way he felt about her.

He could feel her doubts through their bond and wanted her to know that she was the most important person in the world.

Usagi left the bathroom and Mamoru grabbed her pile of clothing and his own, which he'd tossed on the floor, and hurried after her.

"What can I do to make you feel better?" he asked.

Usagi sniffled, but went straight to the bed and pulled down the covers. "Hold me," she whispered. "Just hold me."

He set the clothing on the dresser and followed her to the bed, throwing the towel on the ground beside hers before he climbed in and pulled Usagi into his arms. He slid his fingers up and down her arm in what he hoped was a soothing gesture as her breathing deepened.

Mamoru waited until Usagi was asleep before he let his own tears fall. His chest heaved with sobs as he thought of all the ways things could have been much worse. He could have failed to rescue her, or she could have been killed outright instead of taken as some sort of prize. He couldn't stop thinking about the possibilities. He let the grief she had expressed wash over him, unsure how to handle the heavy emotions that had roiled through him then, and continued to course through him now.

He wasn't sure how long he lay there and cried before Usagi rolled over on top of him and took his cheeks in her soft hands. "Mamo-chan, it's okay. I'm here," she whispered, and then bent to kiss him.

He tried smiling up at her, but all he could focus on was how close he had come to losing her, again. "Usako," he choked out, and pulled her against him, hugging her hard as he reassured himself she was okay.

"My Mamo-chan, this has been horrible for you, hasn't it?" she asked, her eyes gentle in the dim light. "My poor husband. You've had just as hard a time as I have, haven't you."

He wasn't sure what to say. He only knew he could never let her go.

Then Usagi shocked him when she began touching him, driving a different sort of need through his body. A moment later she took him into her own body and moved over him. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists together around her back, not wanted to pressure her in any way. She took complete control and he watched, amazed as she brought them both to their peak before laying her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around him, digging her hands under his waist so she could hold him just as tightly as he was clinging to her.

He supposed it was a different sort of comfort, knowing they could be together like that. Knowing that the intimacy hadn't been stolen from them. He hadn't expected it to happen, but he was grateful it had. They lay there together, under the soft comforter on the smooth, silky sheets, and drifted into dreams, their bodies still completely connected.

* * *

Neo-King Endymion stared into the Crystal that protected his wife. Nearly a thousand years of marriage and she was still all he could think about. Even his children didn't crawl under his skin the way she did. She was everything to him. His life, his light, his hope.

Even knowing that soon she would wake, completely healed, their youngest daughter nearly to full term, he missed her. She was barely a foot away from him, but the crystal dome that protected her was to thick to brush that stray lock of blonde hair from her face. It was too much distance for him to bend and kiss the frown line that had formed between her brows.

He sighed as he watched her in heavy slumber, then turned away to make his nightly rounds, checking on their other children as well as their nieces and nephews. He missed the sound of laughing children, missed the voices of their friends, but most of all, he missed his wife's gentle presence.

* * *

**Synopsis:**

Mamoru reaches Usagi in time to save her, with a bit of help from both Saphir and Esmeraude. Dimande, enraged that Usagi has been taken, turns and attacks Esmeraude. Saphir stops him from hurting her and brings her to Crystal Tokyo and the palace, where he asks for sanctuary. They are told they will be helped only if they allow Sailor Moon to heal them. After they agree and the healing is done, Mamoru helps Usagi deal with what happened, and she struggles to take back control of her own body and mind, surprising Mamoru in the process.

The final scene shows Neo-King Endymion staring at Neo-Queen Serenity through the Crystal, which formed a cocoon to protect her as she healed. He thinks of her, of their children, and their friends, missing all of them.


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **This is a relatively short chapter, but I wanted to set the stage for what happens next, and I wanted to introduce you to a character I created for another story... I tend to reuse my OC's a lot, and if you don't know about one, the information is always on my profile page. So, meet Tentomushi.

* * *

**Reverence**: **An Easter Story  
Holiday Series: Book Four**  
**Chapter Three**

* * *

_***Tentomushi's POV***_

Yawning heavily, Tentomushi covered her mouth with her hand and sat up in her bed. It was pretty out. The sky was a gorgeous shade of blue through the wide window and the sun was shining brightly, seeming like it was happy in the sky. Smiling, she climbed out of bed and went to her dresser. She threw on her favorite red and black polkadot dress with a pretty ladybug on the front, and grinned.

Naru and Motoki were both still sleeping, but it looked like Chibi-Usa and Chibi-Mamo hadn't even gone to sleep. Worried, she hurried out of her room to search for them. They had to be somewhere. She hurried to one of the smaller back doors that led into their play area.

She sighed. None of the other children were awake. That wasn't fair. She wanted someone to play with. Frustrated she blew her messy hair out of her face and turned in a circle. Nothing looked right. The city was all wrong and broken. But the sun was shining. She frowned. If the sun was shining, why did things look so wrong.

There was a noise behind her and she turned to see a scary man with white-blonde hair standing just outside the play area. He had on an outfit that was almost white, but also looked a little purple. She liked purple, but not on him. His eyes were making her afraid. He stepped closer and she screamed.

When no one came running, Tentomushi backed away from him. He stepped closer and she turned and ran out of the play area and toward the city. Maybe she would be safe there. But the scary man ran after her, calling for her to come back. Sobbing now, her heart racing, she cried out for help.

"Please! Help me someone!"

Closing her eyes she thought of her brother Mamo. He would protect her. She threw herself under a broken wall that was laying on it's side. The scary man's feet came closer and closer.

"I know you're under there little princess," he said in a mean voice. "You're coming with me."

Tentomushi closed her eyes tight. "I want my mommy," she sobbed. She shook her head. Maybe mommy and daddy were busy. Or sleeping. What if everyone was sleeping except her and Mamo and Usa? She shivered. She couldn't protect herself. She was only five. That was too small to protect herself.

The scary man laughed and the piece of wall started to move. Tentomushi screamed as loud as she could.

* * *

_***Usagi's POV***_

The faded image of Neo-King Endymion appeared in the bedroom, shouting for help.

"He's going to take Mushi!" he yelled. "Please! Save Mushi!"

"Who is Mushi?" Usagi asked. "Where do I go?"

"She's our daughter," Neo-King Endymion said, sounding frantic. "Please. She must have woken up before the others. She ran out through the play area and into the city and Dimande is following her. She's so scared."

"We're going now!" Mamoru said.

Usagi let her henshin take her, thankful it moved quickly because it was so urgent. She and the now transformed Tuxedo Kamen ran out of the bedroom and into the long hallway following the holographic image of the king who was moving through doors and walls without pausing.

"My baby. My little Mushi," he said, sounding as though he might cry. "How did this happen? This wasn't how it happened before!"

"You said anything could change the timeline," Tuxedo Kamen murmured as they ran. They hit a door and ran out into a play area that still had living trees and grass. It must have been protected by the inner Senshi's dome.

"This way!" the king shouted and they followed his shimmering figure into the city.

* * *

_***Tentomushi's POV***_

The wall was lifting and their was no hope. Tentomushi was more scared than she'd ever been in her whole life. She wanted someone to take care of her. She didn't want to be taken by the scary man.

A bright light started in front of her eyes. She closed them against the rainbow colors in the light and wished as hard as she could. "I wish I was with Mamo and Usa!" she sobbed. "I want Mamo and Usa! I want my brother and sister!"

"Mushi?" came a soft voice and she opened her eyes, sniffling to see her older sister. With a cry she threw herself into Usa's arms.

"Chibi-Usa! There was a scary man and he chaseded me and said he was gonna taked me."

"Oh Mushi!" Her sister held her tight and Mushi cried and cried.

"What happened?" came another voice. "Who's this?"

"Oh Takeo, this is my little sister Tentomushi. We just call her Mushi. Someone tried to take her," she added. "She's shaking."

"We'll keep her safe," Takeo said.

Mushi looked over at him. He had blonde hair and his eyes were the color of the sky. She sniffled again. Then she blinked. She wasn't in Crystal Tokyo. She didn't see the palace anywhere. She pulled back and wiped her eyes.

"Where are we?"

"Elysion," Chibi-Usa said. "In the past. There was an explosion and we ended up here."

* * *

_***Mamoru's POV***_

As he ran through the destruction of Tokyo, Tuxedo Kamen's heart pounded in his chest. His future child. He had no idea how many children they had in the future, but he refused to lose any of them. It would destroy him and Usagi both.

He wasn't out of breath and was grateful to have superpowers. His cape flew behind him but he didn't care. He only cared about getting to the little one before it was too late. Dimande was crazed and he couldn't be allowed to harm a child. Part of him wanted to put the man down, but he had seen so many saved already that he wondered if Esmeraude and Saphir were right and this wasn't who he was.

Still, he wasn't sure he wanted the man anywhere near his Usako, even after he was saved.

They rounded a bend and saw Dimande lifting up a piece of concrete wall that had been overturned. As he lifted it a bright light came from underneath, blinding all of them for a brief moment. Dimande's scream of rage told him the child had somehow managed to escape.

"Where is she?" he asked, turning to Neo-King Endymion.

"I don't know!" the man cried out. "This didn't happen before and until I wake up I can't assimilate the changed memories. Where is my baby?"

"How old is she?" Sailor Moon asked, staring at Dimande who was throwing pieces of wall around and still hadn't noticed them.

"Five. She was born less than a year after the twins. Premature."

"Oh."

Dimande must have sensed them then, because he turned. Fire seemed to light his eyes as they caught on Sailor Moon and he began to stalk towards her. Tuxedo Kamen moved without thought, putting himself between the man and his wife.

"No!" he didn't turn his head to see who shouted. He didn't really care. He would do what he had to in order to protect the woman he loved.

There was a blur of green and Esmeraude threw herself in front of Dimande, wrapping her arms around his waist. "This isn't you! Don't hurt her!" she screamed.

Dimande threw her off him and raised his hand. Tuxedo Kamen could see he was ready to strike with some form of energy, but there was nothing he could do, no way to reach the other woman in time.

"Dimande," the woman whimpered, but at that moment silver light blazed up all around them.

"Moon Healing Escalation!" Sailor Moon's shout echoed from the ruined buildings, louder and more fierce than he had ever heard her voice. She stepped forward slowly and as he watched, Esmeraude threw her arms around Dimande's legs and knocked him to the ground.

Not stopping her forward progress, Sailor Moon gritted her teeth. "Hold him still," she said, "Wiseman's fighting me, trying to flood him with dark energy."

Esmeraude reached over Dimande and tore something out of his left ear, then the right, and threw whatever she had grabbed away from them both. "Try now!" she yelled.

Sailor Moon stood directly over the prostrate prince. Instinctively Tuxedo Kamen moved to stand behind his wife, and wrapping his arms around her, he placed his hands just below hers on the Moon Wand. Golden light began to suffuse the silver and there was a loud scream as Dimande's body arched up off the ground.

He continued screaming for several long minutes, but now that he was helping, Tuxedo Kamen knew they were almost there. Even the man's clothing was changing, becoming a pure white, the stitching on the sleeves disappearing into the fabric. He pushed just a little harder and with a gasp, Dimande lay still, breathing heavily and staring up at the sky.

Then he began to sob, covering his face with both hands. He turned onto his stomach and wept like a child. He was saying something, but even with enhanced hearing he couldn't make out the words, but he was obviously unable to get over whatever he was thinking.

Then the man screamed again and stood, trying to run away from them. He stumbled and fell over a piece of metal sticking up from the ground and fell back to the earth, still sobbing. Esmeraude went to him, but he jerked away. She looked hurt and bowed her head, but by then Tuxedo Kamen could make out the man's words.

"What have I done? What have I done? How could I do this? I have to die. I can't hurt anyone else. Oh kami what have I done?" His weeping and rocking continued as he lay face down on the earth.

* * *

_***Takeo's POV***_

The little red-haired girl twirled in her red dress. It floated out and she looked like a flower. Ladybugs hovered all around her, causing little giggles to erupt. Tentomushi. That meant ladybug. He smiled and wondered if that's why they loved her.

"Wanna play?" Mushi asked.

He nodded, still feeling a bit unsure of himself. He wanted Rei and Jadeite, but the little one seemed to feel better when he stayed near her. "You look like a ladybug," he said finally, as he cautiously approached through the sea of insects.

Mushi giggled again. "I am a ladybug. Mommy calls me her little ladybug and daddy says when mommy carried me ladybugs followed her around everywhere."

Takeo thought he might like ladybugs now too. They made her smile. He didn't like it when she was crying. It hurt his chest. He rubbed at the remembered ache.

"Auntie Mina says that Mommy is a bunny, and I'm a ladybug and Auntie Ru is a dragonfly. I like bunnies. Every Easter Auntie Mina says the Easter Bunny comes and he leaves eggs. I don't know how come though, cause bunnies have babies, not eggs. But then when you open them there's candy inside, or little toys, or even pretty coins or stones."

"What's an Easter Bunny?" Takeo asked.

Mushi shrugged. "I don't know. I'm only five," she explained, holding up her hand with her fingers spread to show him. "That's this many."

"I'm not sure how old I am," Takeo admitted. "I think I'm six, or seven." He held up his own fingers to show her.

"That's okay," Mushi said, then hugged him hard. "We can ask your mommy."

"Rei-mama is my mommy now, but I don't think she knows either."

Mushi frowned. "That's not good." Then she grinned at him. "We'll have her ask the fire."

Takeo smiled and grabbed her hand. "Want to run?" he asked.

Mushi nodded and tugged at his hand as she darted towards the temple. "Come on!" she yelled, and laughed. Hearing her laughing made his heart feel good and he smiled.

* * *

_***Neo-King Endymion's POV***_

"Majesty," came a voice from behind.

King Endymion turned and looked to see Pluto had come away from the Time Door. He gasped in shock. Queen Serenity had made the woman promise not to leave during the time of the attack on Crystal Tokyo because they knew in several of the timelines she gave up her life to save them.

"What are you doing?" he hissed. "You are disobeying a direct order! You know if you die Haruki will too! What of your children? Would you leave them without a mother?"

Pluto sighed. "I already know I won't die in this timeline Majesty. Things have changed, or I would not have left my post."

He wished he was corporeal so he could rub his face. He'd never noticed the habit until he'd been forced to use this form to protect the ones he loved. "What has changed? Do you know where my daughter is?"

Pluto gave a soft smile. "Yes. She is with her brother and sister. She is safe."

Endymion frowned. If the timeline was still relatively the same, the arcade would have been attacked and the twins, Yuzuki, and Takeo would have been pulled to Elysion. "Are they with Helios?" he asked.

"They are. We must leave them there for now. It is not for us to tell the others where they've gone. There are reasons for them to discover it on their own. Even know they are searching, and we have our own war to contend with."

Endymion sighed. "Dimande doesn't fare well at the moment," he explained. "Usagi is still in a state of shock. Mamoru can't bear to let her from his sight. My wife is still locked in slumber." He sighed again. "And we still have yet to defeat Wiseman or destroy Nemesis."

Sailor Pluto nodded. "Do not fear my King," she said softly. "There is always hope." She turned her head to look towards the wing where Mamoru and Usagi had gone. "While she breathes, there's hope."

King Endymion sighed. "I want my wife to wake," he said. "I need my Usako. The mother of my children, my queen, my Usagi."

"Soon," Pluto promised. "Very soon."

"I hope so."

"There have been other... alterations," Majesty.

"Pluto, there's no one awake. Why do you insist on calling me that?" he groaned, again wanting to scrub his face with his hands. "We agreed to the stupid name change and formal titles in public, but this is too much!"

She grinned. "I know," she said. "But it's only for a little longer. Wiseman may yet be listening. He knows too much already."

"Do we know when the battle will take place? Now, or then?"

"There are three possibilities, and the choices that are made by our younger selves and those that have been rescued will decide that for us. Do not tell them where Mushi is. Send them home to care for the fractured mind of Dimande. Only Usagi can heal him, and in doing so, she will heal herself."

"Have you realized you're starting to talk in riddles like an oracle? Don't make me send you and Haruki to Kinmoku for a month."

She laughed, though there was still a touch of heartache in her. "Some things change us Mamoru," she said.

He breathed a sigh of relief at hearing his true name. "We will bring your daughter home," he promised, "and mine."

She nodded, swallowing hard at a lump in her throat. "This family has seen far too much heartache," she whispered. "At least there is sunshine amidst the clouds."

"There is." He wished he could give her a hug. He'd never understood before what loosing her daughter must have done to her and Haruki. Kidnapped at just shy of six months, the baby had been missing for nearly a year.

* * *

_***Shingo's POV***_

Shingo yelled in frustration and threw the table to the side. "I can't find them anywhere!" he said. His legs felt rubbery, his hands were all cut up, and every part of him had started to ache. "We've been at this for hours. They aren't here!"

Hotaru knelt at his side and rubbed her hand over his back. "It's okay," she said. "I'm sure they've just found a safe place. Remember, your mother said she saw a bright flash from Chibi-Usa."

"I know," Shingo said, then sniffled and ran his sleeve under his nose. He hated feeling so helpless. He wished his sister was home. She would know what to do. "I'm sorry," he said, looking over at Hotaru.

With a shake of her head, Hotaru stopped him. "Shin, this is a really stressful situation. You're scared and feeling like everything is out of control. But I promise, we will find the kids. I won't give up, and neither will you." She paused. "You can see the others won't either."

He turned to look. Sure enough the others were still pouring through the rubble, their wedding clothes torn and dirty. They had formed a line and were taking things out of the arcade piece by piece so they could be sure they didn't overlook anything.

"Lets go help," Hotaru said and held out her hand. He took it and stood, going to the front of the line and handing a broken piece of table to Haruki. His cousin's face was smudged with dirt and tear tracks. He looked like he'd aged ten years in an instant. Shingo met his eyes and nodded. None of them were giving up.

* * *

**Reader response time:** We all know there are several movies about Sailor Moon, and I've already done Fiore's story (Sailor Moon R: The Movie), so that leaves two major ones. I have some ideas for both but I want to know what you think. Obviously adaptations would have to occur with my story line, but those will be fun and interesting. I was hoping to slip one in before I start season three. Which one would you like to see first?

In Sailor Moon S: The Movie - Hearts in Ice, there is an unusual snowstorm and queen Kaguya descends, intending to freeze the earth. It's an adaptation of one of the short manga stories and involves a lot of Luna.

In Sailor Moon Super S: The Movie - Black Dream Hole, the Senshi must race to rescue children who have been put into an enchanted sleep. They meet Peruru, who became Chibi-Usa's friend and he helps to save her.

Also, there are some interesting side stories in the Manga. Do any of you want to see one of those? Let me know because this Holiday Series is just getting started...

_Side Stories_  
Kaguya-hime no Koibito  
Casablanca Memory  
Parallel Sailor Moon  
The Secret Hammer Price Hall

_Chibiusa's Picture Diary_  
Chapter 1 Beware of the Transfer Student  
Chapter 2 Beware of Tanabata  
Chapter 3 Beware of Cavities Exam

_Battle Stories_  
Chapter 1 The Melancholy of Mako-chan  
Chapter 2 Ami-chan's First Love  
Chapter 3 Rei's and Minako's Girls School Battle?


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **Oh my goodness, this wasn't how I originally planned for this chapter to end... which means I have to add another chapter because the writing bug caught me. Lol. But I thought about the best way to add a little fun, since it is Easter morning, and the last scene sort of caught me. Blame my muse. I hope you all have a wonderful day. Happy reading!

* * *

_Happy Easter to all those who celebrate it!_

* * *

**Reverence**: **An Easter Story  
Holiday Series: Book Four**  
**Chapter Four**

* * *

_***Saphir's POV***_

"Come on," he urged, his arm wrapped around his brother's waist. He looked across Dimande to see Esmeraude on his other side, a frown on her face as they gently maneuvered the prince toward the Time Door. His brother was not doing well. He hadn't yet spoken and every time his eyes darted to his surroundings or toward young Usagi, fresh tears washed down his face.

"Dimande, you have to keep moving," Esmeraude murmured. "We have to keep up," she added, gently prodding him to take another step.

There was too much devastation around them. Too much destruction and despair. A broken doll lying in the fractured street caught his brother's eye and he nearly fell to his knees weeping.

Ahead of them, Mamoru had his own arm wrapped around Usagi's waist and he was speaking into her ear. They hadn't been parted a single moment since she'd been rescued from what Saphir could tell. He thought Mamoru was actually worse off than the girl, unable to take his eyes off of her.

Slowly they made their progress towards the time door. Mist enfolded them as they passed the outer edges of the city and Mamoru called for them to walk straight forward. With a sigh he continued urging his brother to plod along.

"I think he'll be better once we get him to the past," Esmeraude said, hope and fear both coloring her voice.

"Maybe," Saphir said, not holding out nearly as much hope. "I think it will take time."

They passed the outer edges of the mist and found themselves standing in front of a very tall door and the impressive Sailor Pluto. She was holding her staff and looking right at them as they passed through. She stepped forward.

"Petz and the others are all still in the arcade," she said in a soft tone. "Perhaps you will feel better after seeing them," she said, smiling at Saphir.

"You know?" he asked, confused.

"Of course," she said. "This is all your current time," she continued. "For myself, and for the king, it is the past. And though some things change, soulmates do not."

"Oh," Saphir felt heat in his cheeks and heard Esmeraude snicker.

"I'm sending you back about an hour after Usagi was taken," Pluto explained. "The others are all worried, but don't fret. You'll find the children." This last was said directly to Usagi. "You have the power to help," she added, and her eyes flicked to Dimande.

Saphir wondered what more the girl could possibly be expected to do. She'd healed his brother of the dark energy from the Maleficent Black Crystal. Healed all of them. Unfortunately Dimande was not yet ready to face everything he had done. That would need to happen in small stages. He was overwhelmed with the pain he had caused, and Saphir could understand as the destruction had torn at him like a knife.

"Henshin yo!" Mamoru said in a quiet voice, but one filled with authority.

He felt a strange urgency come over him and a blue light appeared, covering him for a long moment. Then he blinked and look down. His uniform, which had been a dark navy blue, was now lighter, the color of sapphire, and shinier, as though the sun were shining on the material. At his neck, the white stone became a sapphire and along his front lighter blue beads decorated the jacket in thin stripes. A sword appeared at his hip, the metal a shiny silver color with a blue sapphire tucked into the pommel.

For a long moment he hardly dared to breathe. He looked at his brother. Dimande's outfit had become pure white and nearly matched his own, though it was pure, sparkling diamonds that decorated his throat and sword, and the stripes were made of what appeared to be moonstone.

Esmeraude gasped. She was wearing long flowing pants and a halter like shirt that held a brilliant emerald at the close. She didn't wear a sword, instead a strange staff made of a shimmering green material with a thin chain at the top. At the end of the chain was a large piece that was round. He recognized the ancient weapon as a chigiriki. It was like a mace, without spikes, and could be used to disarm, trip, or even hit an enemy.

"Is this... what we were meant to be?" Esmeraude asked in a shaking voice?

"Hie," said Sailor Pluto. "Wiseman has done something cruel to all of you," she added in a sympathetic tone.

"Over here," called Sailor Moon, and they gathered to her. When they were close, she pulled the Moon Wand. "Moon Crystal Protection Dome," she said in a soft voice. A silvery sphere covered all of them, pulling them closer together. "We're ready Sets," she said, her voice a little louder.

Sailor Pluto began to speak, but he couldn't hear her words. Then a bright light circled over them and he closed his eyes to avoid blindness.

* * *

_***Ikuko's POV***_

She sat just outside the Crown, baby Akane sleeping in her arms, watching and waiting for Mamoru and Usagi to return. She had no doubt the boy would save her. Not even the slightest concern that he would come back empty handed. He would go to the end of time, and the end of the universe if he had to. She'd seen it in his eyes.

Rocking gently, Ikuko shifted in the chair, worried her backside would go numb. The others were still searching the wreckage, but Ikuko knew, deep down inside, the children were not there. Chibi-Usa had been glowing and then there had been nothing where the four children were standing. She smiled. Either the girl had taken them somewhere safe, or someone else had collected her, bringing the others along for the ride.

A flash lit the street and she turned to see Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen, and three strangers, one of them a woman. She knew, without being told, that these were warriors from the Black Moon Clan, healed. Usagi would not have been willing to turn away. She wondered which of them had taken her girl. It was the one with white hair she recgnized from the drawing, though he no longer had an inverted black moon on his forehead. Instead he had a silvery glowing crescent cradle, the proper symbol.

The man looked awful however. Tears streaked down his cheeks, his eyes were sunken and surrounded by dark circles. He was absolutely miserable.

"Clear out the arcade," Sailor Moon said, approaching. "Everyone out!"

The others heard her voice and began streaming outside. She saw Tomatsu, Seijoru, and Natsume, then the Ayakashi sisters and Rubeus. The girls appeared, and their young men. The last two out were Haruki and Shingo, both looking defeated.

As soon as there was no one left in the building, Sailor Moon lifted a wand and said a couple words. A bright light filled the entire street, hiding the building from sight for several moments. Ikuko blinked her eyes to recover her vision, and when she turned to look at the arcade, it was whole once more.

"The children aren't there," Sailor Moon said. "I don't know where they are, but they aren't there."

"How?" Shingo paused. "How do you know?"

"Because I can't feel them inside. I do feel them, but not here." She sighed. "It's time to go home."

"We sent the first responders away," Kenji said, approaching.

Sailor Moon held up her hand. "A couple more minutes daddy. We need to go home first," she said in a whisper.

Kenji nodded, "home then."

Ikuko held onto the baby as they were gathered together and Sailor Moon and the others surrounded them. None could transform so publicly, so it was up to her and Tuxedo Kamen to get them safely back.

Once they found themselves in the meeting room the henshin faded from her daughter and Ikuko rushed to her, gathering her little girl into her arms. It didn't matter that she was nearly grown, or married. It only mattered that her baby was hurting and as a mother, she could do nothing less than comfort her. She felt someone take the baby, then Kenji and Mamoru were both there, also holding onto Usagi. Then Shingo and Haruki approached and they all fell into each other, crying.

* * *

_***Esmeraude's POV***_

She'd been amazed at the strength of little Tsukino Usagi. Amazed at the depths of courage, the will, the way she held it together until her family was surrounding her. Now, she watched as Usagi comforted others, those who had also held it together for too long. Though from what she understood only an hour had passed while Usagi had been missing in this time. It made little sense, but then again, she wasn't keeper of time.

Honestly, she wasn't sure what she was. What had she been meant to become. She looked down at herself. The emerald green of her clothing was beautiful, the strange weapon in her hand mostly defensive, the feeling in her chest one of strange power and hope. Who was she now?

She looked around, seeing the Ayakashi sisters. Petz had grabbed onto Saphir and was hugging him as though she would never let go. The others all seemed to be excited to see them, but were cautious in approaching. She could understand. Her arm was still securely wrapped around the reason. Dimande was not doing nearly as well as Usagi and Mamoru. Or herself, or Saphir.

"Are you alright?" asked a young girl with dark hair. Sailor Saturn, she thought.

"I am, but Dimande hasn't spoken since a few moments after he was healed." She gave a soft sigh.

"Don't worry," the girl said. "Usagi will help. She's helped everyone else."

"What do you mean. After what he did to her, she would be the last to help him." Esmeraude said.

The girl giggled. "I guess you didn't know Usagi in the future." She shook her head. "Do you see those four young men?"

"The Shitennou? Of course."

"They were once turned evil by Queen Beryl and Metallia. And them," she pointed to the three who had multicolored hair, one of whom was holding a baby.

"Yes," she said.

"They once fought against us. Natsume was absolutely awful to Usagi. Attacked her and the twins and Mamoru. And the baby... well she wasn't always a baby. She attacked Natsume and the Makai Tree and was being controlled by something awful." The girl gave a delicate shudder.

"They were?"

"Of course. Usagi healed all of them. She's had some help of course, along the way. But Usagi is one of those rare people who doesn't hold a grudge. She forgives everyone. She helps everyone. And after you've all had a chance to rest, she and Mamoru will make sure no one can ever turn you into something against your will again. They've protected all of us. Something to do with the Crystals, I think. But Dimande here, he was being controlled, just like the rest of you. I'm sure he holds some responsibility for certain things he did, but most of it wasn't him. Most of it was whatever was controlling all of you. Petz called it Wiseman, but whoever it is doesn't sound very wise to me."

Esmeraude shook her head. She felt overwhelmed with information.

"I'm Hotaru, by the way."

"Esmeraude."

"You can release your henshin now. You're safe here."

She frowned and closed her eyes, letting go of the power that still flowed through her. When she looked down she was in the simple green dress she had put on before everything had happened. She sighed in relief.

"Anyways, I guess there is a lot to deal with, but for right now, Sets suggested we let Dimande nap. Poor guy looks like he hasn't slept at all. You can stay with him if you want. I know you're probably worried, since you're soulmates and all."

Esmeraude nodded, trying not to let on that she was shocked with the information. She'd always loved him, but had no idea they were soulmates. Hotaru went to the other side of Dimande and together they led him down a long hallway and into a room that held a bed and a chair as well as some medical supplies.

"Sorry, the infirmary and the nursery are the only bedrooms down here except in the family wings, and I know his brother is probably just as worried as you are. Plus, he sort of looks sick."

Esmeraude nodded again, feeling like a bobble head. They worked together to lay Dimande on the bed, then the girl went to the door.

"I'm sorry, but Shingo is really upset still, so I have to go to him. We still have to find the kids. They disappeared the moment of the attack."

"Who attacked you?" Esmeraude asked.

"Rubeus, just before he was healed. It's okay though, he didn't know, and he's been a big help. We just have to figure out where the kids would have gone if they were afraid."

"I don't know. If I'm scared I go to Dimande," she admitted.

"I always go to Shingo." Hotaru said. Then she tilted her head and her jaw dropped. "Ikuko-mama said Chibi-Usa glowed. Not the others. The others were sort of along for the ride... which means..." She paused. "I've got to go, I have an idea."

Esmeraude watched the door snick shut and sighed, turning back to Dimande.

* * *

_***Setsuna's POV***_

"I figured it out!" Hotaru shouted, running into the room.

Setsuna turned to see her normally pale face flushed with excitement. "Figured what out sweetie?" she asked.

"Where do you go when you're scared?"

"To Haruki or Usagi," Setsuna admitted. "Maybe Kenji-papa."

"Exactly. What was the first name you said?"

"Haruki."

Hotaru turned and caught sight of the others who were all still busy with their own conversations. "Minako!" she shouted.

Everyone in the room went quiet, turning to look at her.

"Is everything okay?" Minako asked.

"Where do you do when you're scared? Who do you do to?"

"Kun," Minako said, reaching behind her to clasp his hand.

"And Makoto?"

"Nephrite," Makoto said, looking confused.

"Michiru?" Hotaru asked, sounding even more excited.

"Haruka."

"Jadeite?" Hotaru turned to the young man who had his arms around Rei.

"I either go to Rei, or the Prince and Princess," he said, and a smile started to form on his face.

"Only Chibi-Usa glowed," Hotaru said, smiling broadly.

"But she's just a little girl," Ikuko said from across the room.

"That doesn't matter. I bet you anything she knows who she's going to marry already." Hotaru was practically jumping up and down with excitement. "I know Shingo and I are going to marry, and I'm still too young to date. Why wouldn't she know?"

"But whoever she's going to marry wont have been born yet," Usagi said, frowning.

Setsuna coughed. She knew something they didn't. "Um, actually, he has."

"What?" Mamoru asked, sounding scandalized. "I won't let my baby marry someone that much older than her!"

"He's not... or he won't be." Setsuna tried to explain. "Time works differently there."

"Where?" Usagi asked, excitement cutting through the shadows in her eyes. "Where is he?"

"Elysion," Setsuna said. "His father and mother are the current priest and priestess."

"Elysion!" Mamoru grinned, looked at Usagi, and then hugged her hard. "It makes perfect sense. Time flows differently there. But how did you know?" he asked, turning back to Setsuna.

"I dreamed it." She sighed. "It could have been a message from my future self and I dismissed it, or it could have been from the boy. It is the land of dreams after all."

"We need to go there," Usagi said. "But not just us," she added. She turned. "We need to take Dimande. He needs time to heal and that place can help. My mother in my past life spent time there when my father died. The Soul-Bond was too much to handle without help and she still had to raise us and protect the Silver Crystal until I had an heir."

"My former father did the same after my mother passed," Mamoru said. "I think that's why they became good friends. Mutual pain."

"Elysion could help him. And me," she added in a quieter voice, though everyone heard. "I have to get past what happened too. I have to keep reminding myself it wasn't really him."

"Do you know how to get there?" asked Luna, wrapping herself around Usagi's ankles.

"Mamo-chan does," Usagi said, bending down to pick up the cat. "But before we go, does anyone mind if I get something to eat? I'm starving."

"On it!" Makoto said and disappeared. Chuckles ran around the room. If Usagi was hungry she would be okay.

* * *

_***Yuzuki's POV***_

"So pretty," Yuzuki said, staring at the butterfly that landed on her finger. "Flutterby," she whispered.

"Butterfly," Chibi-Mamo corrected, from his spot on the grass.

Yuzuki smiled at him. He was very nice, but boys didn't know everything. "My momma and I used to say that," she explained. "I guess I messed it up when I was real small and it stuck."

"Oh," he said, turning onto his belly and resting his head on his arms. "Sorry."

"Did you talk to the priest yet? When can we go home?"

"Yume-sensei says they're coming soon," he told her.

Yuzuki lay back, keeping her hand in the air, and stared at the butterfly and the pretty white clouds and blue sky behind it. "I miss them," she said. "I only knew them a little while, but I miss them."

"I think we're supposed to," Chibi-Mamo said. "I bet they miss us too." He frowned. "Helios told me for them it wasn't very long. Maybe an hour or two."

Yuzuki stared at him in shock. "But it's been days!" she spluttered. "I want to go home." She struggled to keep her chin from quivering. Chibi-Mamo got upset when she cried.

"They're coming! They're coming!" Chibi-Usa screamed, running towards them, Helios at her side. Takeo and Mushi followed at a slower place. Mushi was closer to Yuzuki's age and her legs weren't as long. "Zuki, Mamo!" Chibi-Usa continued, throwing herself down beside them. "They're coming!" she panted.

"We heard you," Chibi-Mamo said, laughing.

"Yume-sensei said they're bringing someone sad, and that mom is sad too." Chibi-Usa said. "What could they be sad about. It was a wedding. Helios told me no one's dreams disappeared, which means they didn't died!"

"Die," corrected Chibi-Mamo. Yuzuki smiled. He couldn't seem to help himself. He was going to be just like his dad. "How long?"

"Now," Helios said.

A bright light shone in the field, not far from them, and Yuzuki had to cover her eyes. It was too bright. When she pulled her hands back down, Haruki and Setsuna, her new adoptive parents, were running toward her as fast as they could.

She stood up, setting the butterfly flapping around her head, and ran to them, tears springing to her eyes.

Rei and Jadeite were both yelling Takeo's name and running too. He shouted for them and then he was picked up just as Yuzuki felt Haruki grab her.

Usagi and Mamoru were surrounded by Chibi-Usa, Chibi-Mamo, and Tentomushi, giving them huge hugs and crying over them. She turned back and realized her new mom and dad were crying to. She sniffled. "I misseded you," she said, whimpering a little and threw her arms around Haruki-papa's neck. "I misseded you both soooo much!"

Yuzuki could see Wala, Áine, and Helios with their own parents, who were waiting as though they had all the time in the world. She smiled and buried her face in Haruki-papa's neck, letting the tears fall.

* * *

_***Shingo's POV***_

He watched in awe as the children raced for their parents, screaming happily, and hugged Hotaru excitedly. "You did it!" he said, grinning at her. A light blush stained her cheeks and she smiled at him.

Dimande sat on the grass, Esmeraude at one side, Saphir at the other, and he simply stared around him.

Shingo had to admit the place was a wonder. The sky was the bright blue of summer, but there was a cool spring breeze. Butterflies, ladybugs, and now dragonflies, hovered around. A dragonfly landed on Hotaru's arm and she giggled, staring down at it. The little red-haired girl, Tentomushi, Usagi had said, had a stream of ladybugs following her around, and little Yuzuki was attracting butterflies. Chibi-Usa seemed to have a mixture of all three flying around her. It was an amazing sight. There were fields of grass and fields of wildflowers, incredibly blue lakes and deep green and brown forests. A temple stood, surrounded by several tiny dwellings and an open area with a table that was laden with food.

"Paradise," Esmeraude whispered.

"It sure it," Shingo said, feeling much better than he had an hour before. "This place is incredible."

He saw the priest and priestess and slowly made his way to them, Hotaru's hand clutched in his own. It looked like the others were too distracted to notice them waiting. The priest had a silver horn, as did the young boy at his side, and blonde hair. The priestess and the two little girls had silver horns, but their hair was just as blonde as the others.

"Welcome young prince," the priest said, bowing. "I am Yume, the current priest."

Shingo blushed. "I'm not a prince in this life," he said, but thank you for your welcome, and for helping the children."

"I am Maboroshi," the priestess said, stepping forward, "and it was our son, Helios, who called his future bride. He sensed the danger to her and reacted quickly."

Shingo knelt in front of the boy, who appeared to be around six years of age. "Thank you Helios," he said, opening his arms. The boy hugged him. "Thank you very much."

Helios hugged harder, then pulled back and patted his shoulder. "I love her," he said simply. Then he pointed out to the others. "See how Chibi-Mamo protects Zuki, and Takeo protects Mushi? I want to protect Usa. She's my friend."

Shingo grinned. One day they would be much more than friends, but six was far too early for the boy to be thinking about it. "I'm glad you protected her," was all he said. He stood and looked back to where Dimande was. He looked at Yume and Maboroshi. "We're hoping a few days here will help Dimande," he said.

There was a sad sigh from Maboroshi. "I saw his dream," she said, and her voice was devastated. "He wants only to die. That must change soon, else his children will not be born, and one of your daughters will be ever alone."

"Wait, what?" Shingo asked, spluttering a bit at this shocking information. "Daughters?"

The two little girls giggled at him, then turned to their mom. "Can we go hug the sad man?" one of them asked.

"Yes, but be very gentle. He's fragile right now."

Shingo watched as the two girls raced first to a field of wildflowers and made a little crown out of the blossoms before running to Dimande. He looked up, startled when the little ones began speaking to him. One of them put the crown on his head. Then they were both patting his shoulders and hugging him.

With a sigh, Shingo turned back to the Priest and Priestess. Helios had darted off while his attention was elsewhere, and was now running through a field with the other kids.

"Dimande isn't doing well," he said. "I wanted to hate him for what he tried to do to my sister, but seeing him now... she healed him and ever since all he's done is cry and stare off into space." He frowned. "I don't know what Wiseman did to control them, but he's done some awful things."

"Usagi will make him better," Maboroshi said. "It is her forgiving heart that will turn the tide of the greatest war in the history of the Universe. The poor young man will feel that forgiveness first. It won't be easy, for either of them. But see?"

He turned. The two little girls had run off, but Usagi was sitting next to Dimande, and so was Mamoru! "Wow!" he said. "I thought Mamoru would rather kill him than help him."

"Mamoru once attacked your sister so fiercely she nearly died from the blow. He was under the spell of Metallia and he fought against it, but landed a strike. He is remembering it, even now." Yume's voice was soft and full of pain. "Don't worry young one," he continued. "All will heal. They have a shared destiny. One of Mamoru's sons will marry Dimande's youngest daughter."

"How do you know all of this?" Hotaru asked from beside him. "I don't understand."

Maboroshi smiled. "We deal in dreams and heartwishes," she said softly. "We know how those wishes are granted. Do you see how Esmeraude stares, worried?"

"Yes," Shingo and Hotaru chorused.

"She is wishing with all her might for him to have a future, to find happiness and peace. Such a wish, one that is unselfish, is nearly always granted."

"Oh," Shingo said. "So you grant them?" he asked.

"Some." Yume smiled. "Some are impossible to grant. I cannot, for instance, make a young boy jump as high as the moon."

Shingo blushed. "I was four," he muttered, then started laughing. "I'd forgotten all about that. Usagi could always jump higher than me because she's older. I was so mad,"

"Well, in a few months you will be taller than she is," Maboroshi said. "And you will keep growing. Taller than your father even. You'll be nearly as tall as Nephrite."

"That's tall," Hotaru said.

"Very," said Shingo, laughing. "Which means I will finally manage to jump higher than my sister!"

"Ah, but by that time she will have her wings."

Shingo's jaw dropped as he stared at Yume. "You're joking right? Tell me you're joking."

"We are not," Maboroshi said. "But there is no need to fret. You will come into your own inheritance soon as well. She and Mamoru first, then Haruki, and then you."

"But not today," Yume said. "Today, we celebrate!" He looked at everyone in the field. "Now, the young ones have been going on about a bunny for Easter who lays plastic eggs..."

Shingo laughed and turned. "Minako!" he shouted. "You're needed over here!"


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **Oh my goodness, this story is more than halfway done now. Woot. I'm still collecting votes on what side-story to pull in for my Mother's and Father's day book. All the episodes were listed in Chapter Four if you haven't already voted.

* * *

**Reverence**: **An Easter Story  
Holiday Series: Book Four**  
**Chapter Five**

* * *

_***Usagi's POV***_

"You alright?"

Usagi looked at Mamoru and nodded. "I am," she said, "but I don't think he is." She tilted her head to where Saphir and Esmeraude were trying to coax something out of Dimande. Neither was having any luck. The twins and Tentomushi had just run off with Wala, Áine, and Helios, and it seemed like as good a time as any to try and talk to the young man.

"Do you think you are up to it?" Mamoru asked. "It's still a bit fresh, I'd think."

Usagi sighed. "It will be painful, but I can feel him slipping away." She shuddered, thinking if they didn't help him soon it would be too late.

"You're my first priority," Mamoru insisted. "And I'm still having a rather hard time with this."

"I know Mamo-chan," Usagi said. "Me too. But just think what would have happened if no one had saved you," she whispered. "How might Beryl have twisted you further? Wiseman has had all of them for years."

He nodded and took her hand, and they made their way to where Dimande was sitting, waving the others away so they could talk to him alone. Usagi sat on his right and Mamoru took the left, each putting their legs out in the soft grass.

Surprise washed over Dimande's face as he looked at Usagi, then Mamoru, before turning back to her. He didn't speak, but she thought that was to be expected. Instead of pressuring him to talk, Usagi decided to tell him their story.

"A short time ago," she began, then frowned, "or at least what seems like a short time ago to us," she pointed to Mamoru, "Mamoru was stolen during a battle with the Negaverse. Do you know what the Negaverse was?"

Dimande nodded, but didn't speak.

"Anyway, he was taken while he was very hurt and unconscious, so there was no way for him to fight back. He was put into a sort of chamber, that from what I understand looked a bit like a glass coffin," Usagi said.

"It was a lot like a coffin," Mamoru added. "At least in looks. Inside however, I was flooded with dark energy. My good and happy memories were stolen, replaced with awful things, and I was sent out to fight against Sailor Moon and the Senshi."

"It went on for months," Usagi said, her voice low. "It broke my heart to see him and know he couldn't just come home. Sometimes he fought almost free of it, even helped me, but every time he seemed to be getting close, Beryl took him and forced him into that chamber again."

"In the end I nearly killed her during the battle with Beryl. I hurt her so much I have no idea how she went on," he explained. "Then we all forgot everything."

Dimande's eyebrows rose as he stared at them. They'd both moved slightly so they could see his face better, and could tell he empathized with Mamoru. "How?"

"I made a wish for a normal life," Usagi explained. "I really didn't know how to use the Crystal and it went a bit haywire. Anyways, eventually I was able to help him regain his memory, and the others as well, but it took time. But I want you to look around very carefully at everyone here. You see those four men training with the sword, the Shitennou?"

Nodding his head, Dimande stared at them for a long moment.

"Those men were forced into evil, just like Mamoru. And if you look at the three with the baby, you'll see Natsume and Seijoru, who attempted to kill me. The baby, Akane, wasn't always a baby. She attacked Natsume several times and tried to kill their Mother, the Makai tree."

"They've all done bad things," Mamoru said, taking over the explanation. "Just like what you and Saphir, Rubeus, Esmeraude and the Ayakashi sisters were forced into. I'm not saying there isn't some responsibility for things that you've done," he added, noticing Dimande about to argue, "but you certainly aren't responsible for what Wiseman forced or tricked you into doing. And from what we gather from your brother, it seems like it was Wiseman that got you obsessed with Usagi."

"Yes, but I was the one who tried..." Dimande's voice broke off. "I could have done something unforgivable. I didn't care that she was young, or married, or not mine. I thought I had every right to take what I wanted. And then there was Crystal Tokyo..." his voice trailed off with a shudder.

"I want you to think about two things," Usagi said. "Are you listening?"

Dimande nodded his head.

"First, I want you to think about what you are feeling right now. Guilt, confusion, anger, pain. You wouldn't be feeling those things if you didn't have goodness in your heart. You have been healed, and soon Mamoru and I will make it so that you can never be turned evil against your will again. It's an awful thing that was done to you. Just awful."

It took a moment to calm herself before she could go on. "Second, I want to tell you that all hope is not lost for Crystal Tokyo." Usagi smiled. "When Metallia broke loose, she began killing everyone on the planet. Not just everyone, but everything. Plants, animals, and people. Mamoru and I had to work together to heal them but we did it. Everything returned to life, just as it should. Millions had died. Now, I know it's been some time in Crystal Tokyo, but those are our future selves. If we could heal the planet once, I'm sure our future selves can do it, and they've had time to grow stronger. Much stronger. Strong enough for Mamoru to send messages to me back through nearly a thousand years."

"But they've been dead a long time?"

Usagi reached for the Silver Crystal and held it in her palm. "Do you see this?" she asked. "Such a tiny little object, but a Wish made with it can come true. A Heart Wish. It has to be pure and true. And Mamoru has the Golden Crystal. I have a feeling that as soon as my future self wakes, future Mamoru will too, and when that happens, I'm rather sure the planet will be vastly different than you and I remember it." Usagi smiled. She put the crystal away.

"None of that changes the facts though, does it?" Dimande said. "What I did was so awful I shouldn't be forgiven."

"No one should," Mamoru said softly, "but Usagi's going to forgive them anyway."

Usagi blushed. "I forgive because what else could I do? Did you walk up to Wiseman and say, 'hey, I want to be turned evil, have my memory tampered with, and hurt a bunch of people,' or did you, like the others, seem to be in a park one moment, and serving him the next?"

Dimande started and started at her. "They all remember that too?" he asked.

"They do," Mamoru said. "None of you made a conscious decision to serve him. Which is why, before we return to fight him, all of us are going to have some added protection. Usagi and I will make sure no one can be turned evil like that again."

"And you think it will work?" Dimande asked.

"We know it will," Usagi said. "Now, I think Esmeraude is absolutely dying to talk to you, and I know if it was my Mamoru, I would be losing it, so we're going to give the two of you some time, okay?"

"Thank you, for saving me, and talking to me," he added.

"You're welcome." Mamoru and Usagi said together.

The moment they stood Esmeraude made her way over to Dimande. Usagi paused to give her a quick hug before they made their way to where the priest and priestess were sitting watching the children, who were running around with baskets picking up bright plastic eggs from the grass.

"I apologize for not coming to say hello right away," Usagi said, biting her lip. "We weren't intending to be rude."

The priestess laughed. "It wasn't rude. You were worried for the children, and for the one who is depressed and hurting. Those are qualities that are good in a future queen," she added. "My name is Maboroshi, and this is my husband Yume."

"It's nice to meet both of you," Mamoru said, bowing to each. Usagi copied his movements.

"It is good to finally meet you both," Yume said. "We've known this day would come, but it seems to have been a very long time."

"You've been waiting for us?" Usagi asked, confused.

"Yes highness," Maboroshi said, smiling softly. "We knew you would be here, and planned for it. There are things you should accomplish while you're here. There is plenty of time. When you return to Earth, only a few hours will have passed, though it will be days here."

"How?" Usagi wondered, curious.

"When you dream," Yume began, "sometimes it seems as though years pass in moments," he explained. "Other times it feels like you've only just begun to dream and when you wake morning has already arrived. Time moves differently in the dream. This land was created to protect and nourish dreams as well as for us to guard the inheritance of the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun. Before you return, you must collect that inheritance."

* * *

_***Mamoru's POV***_

Mamoru smiled at Usagi and took her hand as they followed Yume in the cool early morning air. The priest pointed into the temple and turned to face them. "Your challenge awaits," he said in a calm voice. "Inside is your birthright. You must work together to collect them."

"We will," Usagi promised. "Thank you," she added, as they both looked into the darker interior.

Taking the first step, Mamoru and Usagi both shivered as they passed into the cooler temperatures inside the temple. He looked out through the massive columns, able to see fields of wildflowers and the forest beyond them. It was an idyllic place for a temple.

The temple was one long rectangular room, open to the elements through the massive columns. There were several smaller rooms at the very back of the temple that were not open to their sight. It made him curious, but his eyes were caught by a dais in the center of the space.

His footsteps and Usagi's scraped and scratched, echoing back to them from the ceiling above. They made their way to the center of the room and their task opened up before them. Sitting on the dais, in holders that appeared to be hands and upper arms, were two swords.

One was wide and thick, with a blue hilt and scabbard. The other was thinner, the hilt and scabbard a silvery color with hints of pink. They stopped in front of the dais and Mamoru turned to Usagi, the priests last words still on his mind. "Together," he whispered, and with their hands still tightly clasped between them, they reached out at the same time. Usagi's hand wrapped around the hilt of the smaller sword in the same instant Mamoru's closed around the hilt of the larger. Their minds connected completely. His thoughts and hers unified in that moment, and together they lifted the swords out of their holders.

Mamoru felt a wash of power through him. It rushed into every molecule of his body. He felt himself changing as the power swelled and he felt a strange heat. His clothing changed. He was wearing a dark blue uniform with armor over it, the sword belted at his hip.

When he looked at Usagi, he was met with the sight of a glowing crescent moon on her forehead. Where she had been wearing and ordinary outfit, now she was in a long white dress with golden embroidery along the bodice. There were partial sleeves over her arms, and feather clips in her hair. She had a low breastplate over the dress, and wings had sprouted from her back, huge and white. The sword was belted around her waist, hanging low on her hips. Her hair had turned silver, with a hint of pink at the tips, and there was a new wisdom in her eyes.

He could hear her every thought as though it was his own. Her eyes caught on his hair, and for a moment he saw it through her eyes, and realized it had changed, it was still black, but the tips had changed to add a hint of royal purple. Her eyes caught on his shoulders and he watched from them as she took in his widened stance and larger muscles. Apparently his shoulders were more broad from the gasp of surprise and her shocked thoughts.

"This is a heavy burden," he said, "a massive responsibility."

"Yes, and we will do our best to accept it," she said, reaching out to hug him.

He could feel the wisdom of his predecessors. He could feel their strength running through his veins. All the knowledge of every King that had lived before him was now in his mind. He could feel his connection to the planet, and to the world of dreams. He knew Usagi was experiencing a similar understanding as her eyes lifted toward a moon that could not be seen. He smiled at her and ran the backs of his fingers over her smooth cheek.

Together they made their way out of the temple. He still wanted to talk to Usagi about what had happened to her, but first they had a responsibility to the others. When they passed the final columns and walked down the three stone steps, the others were all waiting. Maboroshi and Yume were in the center of a semicircle, all of them looking towards the stairs.

"His Majesty Endymion, and Her Majesty Serenity," Yume intoned formally. Mamoru almost wished they'd come alone for this quest. It was embarrassing to be stared at, and in spite of the inheritance he had just received, he didn't feel remotely kinglike. He also preferred his current name to the one he had in his former life.

"Please," Usagi said, echoing him. "We're still just Mamoru and Usagi. We aren't ready for all of that yet." They both released their henshin.

Maboroshi inclined her head. "Regardless, you have taken the mantle of responsibility. Now it is for others to follow. There will be a time of rest before the others begin their own quests."

Mamoru tugged Usagi's hand and they made their way down the steps. The others parted for them, each bowing their heads. He felt like he was on display. With a look over at Usagi, they made an instant decision and began to run. They needed time to be themselves before reality set back in.

They found themselves in a pretty meadow surrounded on all sides by trees. A tiny stream ran through the woods at one end and they made their way towards it. Sitting on the banks, they placed their feet in the cold water, and let it play over their feet. Mamoru looked over at his little blonde wife, and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"You okay?" he asked. It had been a stressful few days, and he knew she hadn't really dealt with what had happened to her yet.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I know it wasn't really him that hurt me, but rather Wiseman through him, so I am able to forgive, but I can't seem to forget."

"It hasn't been very long," Mamoru reminded her. "I don't think its a good idea to forget. There are times I wish I didn't remember what happened with Beryl and Metalia, but I know I have to. Not because I need to stay angry or anything, but because it reminds me I overcame something. It reminds me what I have now. It helps me to focus on the fact that other people out there could be hurt just like I was, and pushes me to help them."

"I'm not ready to think about all of it yet," Usagi said, sounding like she might cry.

Mamoru pulled her into his lap. "Then don't," he whispered. "Just take it in little pieces. Deal with what you can, when you can. But I think maybe you should talk to a counselor, or at the very least, maybe your mom, or even me."

"I will," Usagi said. "I just don't think I have it in me today."

"I won't push you Usagi. I know how hard it can be to talk about upsetting things, and this one is really upsetting. Just know if you do need to talk, I'm here and nothing you say could ever change how I feel about you. You're everything to me."

Usagi put a hand on his cheek and tilted her face up for a kiss. "I love you Mamo-chan," she whispered when their lips parted.

"I love you too Usako," he breathed, "more than life itself."

* * *

_***Haruki's POV***_

Haruki frowned as the priest led him to the temple. He'd understood that Mamoru and Usagi had to claim their birthright, but hadn't realized he had to collect his own. Or that Shingo had one as well. It was a bit unnerving to realize that he had to physically accept something in order for his powers to grow.

Usagi and Mamoru seemed to have accepted everything just fine. He sighed. He already had so many new things in his life. As soon as they returned to Tokyo he wanted to get married to Setsuna. They had a child on the way after all. Plus he had to worry about keeping her safe during battles without her knowing exactly how much he was protecting her. And now this.

He wasn't certain he was ready to accept his birthright, whatever it was. And Shingo seemed far too young. But his cousin had already agreed and would be making a trip into the temple on his own as soon as Haruki returned.

He caught a glimpse of Usagi, her wings unfurled as she trained to use them while battling with the sword, and he sighed heavily. He really hoped he didn't have wings when he came out. Or anything else strange like the changed hair, or the heavy burden they seemed to carry.

"Simply ask, and it will be given," Yume said, and patted his shoulder before he walked away.

Haruki nodded, though the priest could no longer see him, and stepped under the edge of the temple. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dimmer light, but then he was caught by the sight of a dais in the center of the massive room. Light filtered in through the columns, helping him see where he was going as he stepped closer and closer. Still uncertain, his pace was slow, but he squared his shoulders and held his head high.

On the tall pedestal was a stone, made of amber he thought, shaped into the form of a sun. It was incredibly beautiful and almost seemed to glow. When he reached out to the dais, nothing happened. His fingers touched only air. With a sigh he looked around, unsure how he was supposed to collect something that wasn't there when he reached for it.

Frustrated, he muttered. "I don't really want this yet, but I need to reach it, so please, if anyone is listening, help me."

Warmth filled his chest and he reached out again without thought. His hand closed over the stone. It was heavier than he'd expected, and filled with heat. He pulled it toward himself and a bright glow made him close his eyes as the knowledge of his forefathers filled him. When he opened them, he was holding his sword in both hands, and on the pommel the stone rested as if it had always been there. The sword had an orange glow to it for a long moment before it faded.

Haruki sheathed the blade, and then caught sight of his arms. He gasped as he watched the tendons flex with his movements. Then he held up both arms and took in the changes. He was more muscled, like Mamoru had been before him. Instead of his normal clothing he was now wearing his Sun Knight clothing, though the armor had changed to include a sunburst that matched the stone now attached to his sword.

The burden of knowledge was a heavy weight, and as it settled over him, he frowned, knowing that there were some things that could not be changed. He thought of little Hotaru, who had no idea she was the guardian of destruction and rebirth and sighed. He too was a guardian of destruction and rebirth. The knowledge settled into him like a weight pulling heavily at his shoulders.

He turned around and walked away from the dais and out into the bright, beautiful day. The moment he left the temple Setsuna embraced him, and he let his head fall onto her shoulder with a sigh.

Yume and Maboroshi waited at the bottom of the steps, this time without a crowd. "It is time for the two of you to be alone together," Maboroshi said. "Don't let the burden weigh you down so," she continued. "Only time will tell what must be done."

Haruki nodded and he and Setsuna walked away. She started pulling him towards one of the cottages. "Come with me," she whispered. "It's time."

Nervously, he followed her into the tiny house, feeling worried. He didn't want to hurt her. She practically threw herself at him the moment the door was closed, and they kissed fiercely for several long minutes.

Excited now, he drew her closer to the bed. When he sat, he pulled her to stand between his legs and rested his head on her belly for a long moment, kissing her gently before his hands slid up under her shirt and he lifted it off her. Long green hair flowed over her now bare back as her bra was tossed across the room.

Moving her hand to his shoulders, she slid the material of his own top away and bent to kiss his freckled skin. "I love you," she murmured, clutching him tightly, then moaned as he captured her nipple in his mouth.

"I love you," he groaned as his hands slid to the side of her hips and he tugged her skirt and panties off her body. She stepped out of them as she worked frantically at the buttons on his own shirt. Her fingers fumbled in nervousness and excitement. He groaned again and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, pulling her over to the side and laying her across his mattress, both afraid and excited. He stood and tore at his own clothing. A moment later he was naked except for his socks and was moving over her, kissing along her neck.

"Setsuna," he whispered fiercely and his teeth bit gently into her shoulder. Wild hands roamed her skin as he moved down her body, kissing everywhere he could touch. Her hands speared into his hair, holding him tight as he spread her thighs and moved his mouth to her already swollen pearl.

Soft sighs and moans followed as he played her, his fingers dancing over her slit as it moistened in response to his touches. His mouth clamped down over her and he suckled hard. She screamed wildly, calling his name as stars exploded in her vision. Her whole body convulsed as her walls tightened spasmodically around the finger he had pressed into her.

Quickly he returned to her, kissing over her sensitive skin. She spread her legs further as his member was pressing against her opening. He bit his lip and stared down at her in wonder. He loved her more than anything and didn't want to hurt her.

"Be sure Setsuna," he said staring down into her eyes.

"I'm sure Haruki," she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too," he said and bent to kiss her as he pressed inside. The feeling her body surrounding him made him groan with joy. Quickly he passed through the barrier with a brief pinch. She was panting beneath him and he held still for several long moments, staring into her eyes. "Are you okay," he asked, panting hoarsely as he tried to control the urge to move.

She nodded for him to continue.

A dome appeared over their heads, shimmering in golds and reds and silvery whites. Hints of onyx and green flowed through it. A sweet melody seemed to fill the air around them, and her heart melted at the sound. It was like love made into music. A soft, warm breeze that spoke of summer sun touched their skin.

With her body now adjusted to his, she began to move with him, their bodies moving together and apart as he filled her again and again. Each motion of him inside her caused waves of desire and heat to coil in her belly until she was writhing under him, barely containing her screams.

The pace increased as they grew closer and closer to the pinnacle of their lovemaking, and she could feel a strange pressure building behind the bundle of nerves he had touched so intimately. She felt as though something was coming, pulling her further and further into a maelstrom of sensation. His pace was frantic now, losing all semblance of rhythm as he pressed deeper and deeper.

Together they flew into the abyss, their arms clenching around each other as ribbons of light swirled and circled around them bonding them tighter together until neither could move an inch. Still locked together, they felt a tightness close over them before it seemed to stretch and expand and sink into their skin.

* * *

_***Shingo's POV***_

Shingo stared up at the temple, feeling a bit nervous. He wasn't sure what to expect when he went inside. There was a feeling of pressure in his chest, and a urgency to hurry inside and take what was already his own.

Yume turned to him, just before the massive structure, and spoke gently. "The knowledge is already yours. Simply take it," he said, then patted him on the shoulder, and walked away.

Shaking his head, Shingo steeled himself for whatever he was about to face, climbed the three steps, and headed into the dim interior. He knew he had to do this, take this, whatever it was, and help the others, but he wasn't sure what to expect. His footsteps rang on the stone as he made his way inside, blinking rapidly so his eyes could adjust.

In the center of the temple was a glowing light. He walked forward slowly. When he grew closer he could see a pedestal on a raised dais, and hovering over it was a simple scroll, yellowed with age. He hesitated, unsure exactly what he was supposed to do, then, remembering the words Yume had spoken, he reached out his hand and took the scroll.

A warm wind rushed over him as his hands closed around the ancient parchment. Knowledge filled him. Ancient knowledge as well as new. The histories of his people, and the people of all the solar system ran through his mind. The fate of each of his friends and loved ones was a massive burden. He gasped and closed his eyes tight against the pain, and the joy, of it.

The scroll disappeared from his hands and instead he was holding something heavy. He opened his eyes to find his own sword. Now however, silver scrolls were etched along the blade and tiny script ran along the edges. He read the words. "Knowledge is a burden that has heavy cost."

He sighed. "That's certainly true," he said, his voice echoing back to him. He sheathed the sword, only then noting that there was a stone in the pommel made of hematite. It was forged to look like an open scroll. He sighed, and let the hilt go. When he lifted his hands to his face he saw that he too had physically changed, his arms growing sinewy muscle. He could feel his broadened shoulders and muscled thighs. A heavy burden indeed.

A memory played in his mind of a day when he and Usagi had been extremely upset, begging for Haruki to come and stay with them. He sniffled. If only they had asked for their aunt to stay as well, she might be alive today. The knowledge weighed on him and he sighed, turning back toward the entrance to the temple.

His footsteps echoed as he walked slowly towards the end of the temple and the bright sunlight blinded him for a moment. When he blinked his eyes back open, Hotaru stood there, her arms open wide, waiting for him. He wrapped his own arms around her, pulling her close for a hug he desperately needed.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

"I will be," he promised.

Together they walked out and into the wide stone courtyard where a table had been set with food. There was plenty there. Fresh baked bread, jars of honey, fruits and vegetables, juice and ice cold water with condensation dripping slowly down the sides of a silver pitcher.

He and Hotaru took seats toward the end of the long table and began putting food onto the plates in front of them. The children were laughing and screeching as they chased each other through the fields. Mamoru and Usagi lay together in the grass, Haruki and Setsuna had disappeared, and the rest were scattered about, training, talking, or napping in the shade.

"We have to go back soon," he said sadly.

"Yume said we would be here a couple days," Hotaru argued.

Shingo shook his head. "Not to our own time," he explained. "To the future. Wiseman still needs to be fought."

"Why are you so sad about that?" Hotaru asked.

Shingo frowned. He didn't really understand why he was so upset. He knew none of them would die. Still, he wished there would be no battle. "I don't know," he answered, looking around. "Perhaps it's just because we so rarely have times of peace."

Hotaru nodded at him and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "Well, until we o back to our time," she said, "I say we act like the kids we still are and go chase our nieces and nephews around."

Grinning, Shingo finished the pile of grapes on his plate. "I think we should show them how hide and seek is really played," he said.

* * *

_***Dimande's POV***_

It had been several days since the excitement of the birthrights, and the others returning. He'd sensed many changes within the group. Still feeling like a bit of an outsider, he'd watched the others often during that first day, and well into the second.

One by one however, the others had come to him, to tell their own stories. The Shitennou, who in their last lives had been forced to murder their own wives. Natsume, who had dragged Seijoru with her into the darkness caused by the flower that controlled her. Even the stories of his own friends, who seemed to each have at least one thing that bothered them.

Feeling less guilt, and more control, he had finally gone to Usagi and said he was ready to face Wiseman. She and Mamoru had worked carefully to make sure he and the others could not be turned, using their crystals. It had been a long process, and had worn them out considerably, but he now felt a connection to each and every person in Elysion, including little Tentomushi, who had come and sat in his lap moments before.

Now, she looked up at him. "Are you scared to go back?" she asked.

Dimande tilted his head and thought about her question. "Yes," he answered after a long pause. "I think I am a little worried. I know I can't be turned against anyone again, but I still worry someone I love will be hurt."

"Me too," she whispered. "Chibi-Usa said Mommy and Daddy are sleeping, but what if young mommy and daddy get hurt?"

He tilted her chin up to look at him again. "Those two are the bravest, strongest, wisest people I have ever met," he said. "I don't think they will get hurt, but if they do, all of us will help them."

"Promise?"

"I promise. No matter what, we will make sure they're okay. Haruki can heal, and so can I. That's important to remember. We've been training together for days. There are many more of us to fight against him now, and none of us can be forced to turn against each other again."

"Mommy said you're really sad about what that mean man made you do. She said your heart is broke. Is it broke forever? I can get you a band aid."

Dimande chuckled. "A band aid wont fix a broken heart little one," he explained. "Thankfully, kind words and actions can. My heart is broken, but because of all of you, it's getting better. And every day that I can do things to fix what I did, that I can help other people, and that I am surrounded by people who care about me, it will get better and better until someday it won't hurt anymore."

Tentomushi snuggled closer, pulling his arm up and around her like a blanket. "That's good she whispered. Hugs help," she added with a yawn. Within a couple of minutes she was sleeping in his arms, no longer afraid of him in the slightest.

Staring down at her sweet little face, Dimande realized he had much that was worth fighting for. When it was time to go, he stood, the sleeping girl still in his arms, and made his way to the others. He nodded goodbye to Yume and Maboroshi, and received hugs from their two little girls and Helios. Then he felt hands on each of his shoulders and saw the bright nimbus of light around the group as they teleported back to the house in Tokyo.

* * *

**Reader Response: **Most of you know I have a ton of stories that are already finished. Some I always intended to write sequels for, like Losing Control, or Kidnapping Sailor Moon. Recently however, I've also been asked to continue a couple other stories... and I'm giving you all a chance to have your say. Which story do you want a sequel for the most:

1\. Kidnapping Sailor Moon (Rated T)  
The story continues with the Black Moon Arc - a few twists added along the way.

2\. Losing Control (Rated M)  
The story continues with the Black Moon Arc - a few twists added along the way.

3\. The Rose (Rated M)  
The story continues with the approach of a new enemy and culminates in the Calamity that changes the world forever.

4\. The HoneyMoon (Rated M)  
The quest to find the fountain of youth and save the Shitennou. Then stories continue as the girls realize their love for their soulmates, as Haruki and Shingo are brought into the fold, and as a new enemy is faced and the time of the Calamity approaches.

5\. Married Strangers (Rated M)  
The continuation of the fight against Beryl

6\. The Prison (currently rated T, but is being rewritten so that might change)  
The story continues with the Black Moon Arc - a few twists added along the way.

Send me a message, or add it to a review. Just put in the number if you don't want to type the title out. I look forward to hearing what you want the most.


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **Just to let you know, this story is almost done. Two more chapters, the epilogue, and it is finished. However, the story for Mother's and Father's day is just around the corner and there will be very little wait time! I bet you'll be happy with that. Also, there won't be a major cliffhanger this time around, so you won't be so mad at me. LOL.

Happy Reading!

* * *

**Reverence**: **An Easter Story  
Holiday Series: Book Four**  
**Chapter Six**

* * *

_***Mamoru's POV***_

Ikuko and Kenji had put together a huge meal for the group and they had been sitting together at the table to finish the remains of it for nearly two hours. But soon they had to go. They would be leaving soon, to go into an uncertain future and defeat a powerful enemy, and it was all he could do not to beg Usagi to stay behind.

He knew she was the strongest of them. Knew she was incredibly kind, smart, wonderful, and the greatest fighter they had. But he was also worried. Usagi would die before letting the others be harmed. Any of them. He only hoped it wouldn't come to that. He needed her more than life itself.

"Alright, is everyone ready?" he asked, standing now so they could all see him. Nods and a chorus of yeses went around the table.

He surveyed the group. Fiore, Ail, and An were out of their disguises and their multicolored hair was eye catching. Dimande was seated between Esmeraude and Saphir, who hat his arm around Petz. Her sisters were lined up beside her with Rubeus at their other end. The Outer Senshi, with Haruki and Shingo in their midst, were across the table from them, all staring up at him, and Usagi who had stood with him. The Shitennou and Inner Senshi were near them on his left and seemed to be cautiously optimistic, and the children, including Helios, who had appeared moments after they left Elysion, were on their right, looking apprehensive.

"Does everyone remember their tasks?" Usagi asked, her voice quiet, but filled with confidence and authority.

More nods of agreement followed.

"I know some of you are nervous," Mamoru said, looking at the little ones in particular, "and that there is no way of knowing exactly what has happened since we left," he added, "but I have confidence in all of you. Everyone here knows what they are doing. You all know your tasks, and you've trained together in your teams enough to work as a group. We can do this, and we will."

"And we're all safe," Dimande reminded them from his side of the table. "Remember that," he added, looking at Berthier, who had been extremely worried about being forced into evil acts again. "We're all safe"

"He's right," Mamoru said. "Wiseman cannot turn you to his side. There is nothing he can say or do to make you fight against your loved ones again."

"Team up!" Usagi said, and they both watched as the heroes around the table cleared out of the room and went into the meeting room down the hall.

"You two are doing a wonderful job," Grandfather Hino said, his voice low. "Remember to believe in one another and be strong for your friends."

"We will," they promised.

"We will be there in just a minute to say goodbye," Ikuko promised, her arm wrapped around Doctor Mizuno's shoulder. The woman looked nervous. She was the least experienced of all the parents with sending her child out into the world, but she was strong for all of that.

He took Usagi's hand and they turned to go into the meeting room. "You ready to go back?" he asked.

"I am. I know you're worried about me," she added, giving him a look, "but as long as we stick together, nothing can harm us."

"You're right," Mamoru said, feeling more confidence. "We're ready."

* * *

_***Minako's POV***_

Looking around at her small team, Minako wondered how well she could lead them. She had confidence that the Inner Senshi, and to an extent, the outer Senshi, would follow her commands, but most of those in her team were new. And they had one of the harder jobs. Only Kunzite had regularly fought at her side. The rest knew her well enough now, and they'd worked and practiced together, but it was difficult to know how they would react under pressure.

She also had the added job of making sure Dimande didn't fall into depression again, though she honestly thought Esmeraude would be far better suited to that task. She looked at her group carefully.

"Dimande, are you prepared? You know the way?" Kunzite asked, reading her emotions and her worry.

"I am and I do. We can get this done quickly and quietly," he promised.

Minako swallowed heavily. "Alright team, remember our marching order. We need to stay together at all times. No one gets left behind, got me?"

"We understand," Calaveras said, putting a hand on Minako's shoulder. "I promise, we wont let you down."

Rubeus nodded agreement and Esmeraude and Dimande both stood ready.

"Okay, if we're set, form up," Kunzite commanded. He seemed confident on the outside, but Minako could tell he was nervous as well.

She looked around at the other groups. Mamoru and Usagi had all the children with them. They would be staying together. Minako had been impressed with how much the children had learned while they were Elysion.

Ami and Zoicite had Berthier, whose powers were growing rapidly, as well as Haruka and Michiru, and Fiore, Ail, and An. They had worked the two groups together in many of their practices and simulations, as the two teams had similar responsibilities.

Makoto and Nephrite had charge of Shingo and Hotaru, and were joined by Saphir and Petz. Rei and Jadeite's team had Haruki, Setsuna, and Koan. Those two teams had also worked together in many of their practices, and would do well as a whole or separate teams.

Minako nodded to Usagi, who met her gaze with an understanding and encouraging look. Usagi had confidence in her, as did Mamoru, who winked. Kunzite wrapped and arm around her waist and she turned back to her team. "I think we're just about ready," she said. "Henshin yo!"

Around them the other teams were all transforming, spreading out slightly for space to transform, before moving back together. Sailor Venus turned back to the group in the center of the room. Usagi and Mamoru, still not in henshin themselves, were walking the children through theirs.

Chibi-Usa and Chibi-Mamo were the first to make their transformations. They looked for all the world like miniature versions of their parents. Chibi-Moon's fuku skirt and collar were pink, but she had little crescent moons on her choker and earrings, and hair pieces formed just like Sailor Moon's. Chibi-Kamen's tuxedo and cape were charcoal grey with purple accents and liner. He wore no tophat, but carried a short sword at his hip and held a scepter like his father's.

Helios' transformation put him in white trousers and boots with a white tunic that opened at his waist and flared nearly to his feet. Blue trim at his collar and along the tunic's edges gave a hint of color. His golden horn flared once, and a strange necklace appeared that gleamed in the same instant. Along his chest five pieces hung, golden, with blue tassels, and they swayed with his movements as he turned excitely to show Chibi-Moon his accomplishment.

Tentomushi was next, lifted slightly off her feet, as her sister and the other Senshi had been, she spun slowly in the air as red ribbons surrounded her. A white fuku with a red skirt formed. Red and black accents appeared over her, and Minako grinned as black spots appeared on her fuku skirt. Small wings appeared at the back of the fuku, and black spots covered their red surface as well. Sailor Ladybug certainly lived up to her name. Her boots were black with red laces and a black scepter with red accents appeared in her hand. The same red hair pieces her mother and sister had formed in the odangoes she wore, but most of her hair hung loose down her tiara had a bright red stone, and her choker was red with a golden heart. Golden hearts appeared on her ears as well.

"I did it!" she exclaimed when the transformation was complete, though it was not her first success. Minako knew she struggled slightly with the change, and grinned at her.

Takeo hugged her hard and stepped back, closing his eyes. Blue trousers appeared on his legs and a golden tunic and a short cape appeared with gold and blue pieces on his shoulders that opened up to let his armor flow down his chest. It too was golden with blue accents. His boots were the same. At his side, his sword appeared in it's sheath, and Minako could see the blue and gold shining in the light. He had become the Golden Warrior.

Finally it was only Yuzuki left. She closed her eyes tightly in concentration. She had the most trouble with her transformation, but she had made it through several times and Sailor Venus waited, knowing she could do it again. It seemed as though every person in the room, every warrior, Luna and Artemis, the parents, and even the walls waited with bated breath.

"You can do it," Chibi Kamen said, his voice filled with confidence. "Just remember you're strong," he added. Yuzuki smiled, though she kept her eyes closed, and gave a small nod.

Light surrounded her then, a pale silvery nimbus with hints of red. Silvery-white leggings replaced the little skirt she was wearing. Bright red boots appeared on her feet. A flowing silver top with red trim appeared next covering her hips and upper thighs, then short gloves with red trim formed over her hands. The golden tiara and choker as well as the small belt at her waist had red crescent moons over them. A long red bow draped from her lower back and a red scepter with a crystal sphere and two red crescent moons appeared in her hands. Even her hair was altered so that part of it was up in tiny clusters that almost seemed to form flowers, while the rest fell just below her shoulders, the color a brighter red with her transformation. Her green eyes shone vividly, their inner light visible even in the bright meeting room.

Sailor Venus hid a grin. Even having seen the transformation several times, it was a bit shocking.

Finally Mamoru and Usagi henshined, not into their royal forms, but into the same henshin she had seen a hundred times. It almost seemed anticlimactic after the children's incredible transformations.

"Alright everyone," Tuxedo Kamen said, "lets go!"

The room was loud for one brief moment as everyone gathered around their leaders. Sailor Moon lifted her Moon Wand as Luna hopped to her shoulder, unwilling to be left behind a second time. Venus waited and was gratified when Artemis jumped to her own shoulder a second later. Sailor Moon's voice rang out. "Moon Crystal Protection Dome."

A silvery light encircled the entire group of young heroes, and then Sailor Pluto lifted up a tiny golden key. "Remember not to touch your future selves," she warned, and then began the chant to take them into the future.

* * *

_***Ami's POV***_

As they left the time gate, Sailor Mercury gathered her group to her side. She locked eyes with Venus, who brought her team close. "Is everyone prepared?" she asked.

"We all are," Venus answered. Artemis sat on her shoulder, looking back towards Luna, who stayed with Sailor Moon. "Art, do you want to stay?" Venus asked, catching his indecision.

The small white cat cleared his throat. "As much as I would like to, there is a chance you'll need me, and Luna will be safe. She promised to stay with Moon."

"Good," Fiore said, keeping his voice low. "You never know. We might need someone small to get into a machine or something."

Artemis seemed to take heart at the thought that he would be useful and stood straighter, finally turning away from Luna, whose red eyes gleamed across the distance, watching them go.

They made their way through the mists, sticking close together. Mercury felt South Knight at her back and knew he would do whatever it took to get all of them safely to their friends when the mission was complete.

Once they reached the outer edges of Crystal Tokyo, their groups gathered, forming into the teams. Berthier would lead their own teleportation, while Dimande would guide Venus' team. They waved to each other, then closed in and held hands with their own teammates, prepared for nearly anything. Blue light surrounded them for a short moment, and then pressure hit, squeezing her for half a heartbeat.

When Mercury opened her eyes again she was in a small chamber filled with hazy green light. There was no one to confront them, and that worried her. She had expected some sort of force to meet their arrival. They'd been prepared for instant battle.

"It doesn't appear that any more droids have been made," Berthier whispered. "This way," she added, going down a set of stone steps toward a massive creation that mixed magic and machine. It was what had created the droids.

Fiore turned in a slow circle. "There are three exits from this chamber," he said quietly. "An, Ail, and I will cover them."

Mercury nodded and followed Berthier. South Knight, Uranus and Neptune were spreading out as they moved after her. The five of them surrounded the machinery, looking at it from every angle.

"How does this thing work?" she asked Berthier.

"I'm not sure," the girl replied. "I was never responsible for this room. What I do know if that it can't function without a piece of the Maleficent Black Crystal, or without that." She pointed to a piece of thin, transparent metal that was held in brackets on one side of the machine.

Mercury stepped forward to get a closer look. It wasn't stuck in place, only sitting within the slot. She reached out a hand.

"Wait," Berthier said. "I don't think that's safe. It's probably better to destroy it. Whatever is inside leeches out it's form on the droids. I don't know how or why, but I would hate it to leech into you, or steal something from you."

She nodded, accepting the wisdom of the advice, and took a step back. She felt South Knight's hand clasp her own and together they lifted their outer hands, speaking together. "Ice Wall!" it was a shout, and they both threw their weight into the attack.

But it hit the machine and dissipated, doing no damage. "A force field," Uranus said. "Where is the power source for that?" she asked, turning in a circle.

"Do you think Wiseman is holding it?" Berthier asked, her voice trembling.

Mercury shook her head. "I don't think so. He was obviously expecting an attack. However, I doubt he could hold a force field and fight against so many at once. No, I think we will find the source of it somewhere in this room."

They spread out, looking for wires leading away from the machinery. Then Mercury heard Neptune shout. "I think this is it!" she said excitedly, pointing directly overhead. Above the machine was a black crystal nestled into a small box with wires. Blue light flowed out of it, surrounding the machine below.

"Okay," Mercury said, "Uranus, do you think you can take care of that?"

The other Senshi nodded and pulled her sword. She threw her space blaster attack, hitting the machine, which threw sparks as it detached from the ceiling and broke into pieces. They scattered around the larger contraption. All five of them surrounded it again.

"All at once," Mercury ordered. Something told her that the machine wouldn't be so easily destroyed. She and South Knight would focus on the metal plate, while the others worked on the black crystal at the top. They threw attack after attack at the machine, hearing things break off and fall to the floor, but the plate and crystal stayed intact.

"Someone switch with us," Fiore called.

Mercury sent Neptune, Uranus, and South Knight to them. A moment later the three Children of the Makai joined Mercury and Berthier.

"What do you think?" Mercury asked, looking at Fiore.

"I want to try something," he said. "If An, Ail, and I focus our healing, light energy on the crystal, the two of you can take out the plate thing together"

Mercury agreed with the plan and turned her attention on the plate again, joined now by Berthier, whose power was so similar to her own. She'd been considering a name for the warrior aspect of the woman, who reminded her of fresh spring rains and babbling brooks over meadows. It was difficult to separate the warrior part of their lives from the human, and having a name for battle would help.

"Ready," she asked.

Fiore nodded and he and the others began to glow with a bright golden yellow light, which they aimed at the crystal, hands held in front of them carefully as they focused the energy. Mercury watched as the crystal in it's holder began to fade, the color slowly lightening the longer they held the energy. Sweat beaded on An's brow, and Ail looked like his arms were growing tired.

"I think you can start," An said, straining slightly.

Mercury turned toward the plate. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" she cried out, just as Berthier said, "Summer Hail!" Their attacks hit the plate at once and she heard a distinct crack. A line ran through the center of it and spider webbed out to either side.

"Again," she said. This time she called out "Mercury Ice Wall!" and threw her strength at the plate. It hit and second later a shower of hail stones began beating at the plate. Her attack had cracked it further and Berthier's began breaking pieces off of it. They both attacked again and again until nothing remained but dust. Then they turned their attentions on the rest of the machine, taking it apart and destroying it piece by piece.

When she looked up at the black crystal, it was no longer there. Fragments of white, milky crystal lay on the stone floor, leeched of their darkness.

"We've got company!" South Knight hollered from behind them. Mercury turned away from the machine and raced to meet him, the others following behind, spreading out to help the others.

* * *

_***Rubeus' POV***_

Rubeus looked carefully around them, peeking back the way they had come, and through every side tunnel they passed. Stone floors, littered in dirt, dust, and broken stone, were all they saw. They had cleared the first room that held the Black Crystals which had already been prepared, turned into earrings and necklaces for the followers of Wiseman. So far they had seen no resistance.

"Two more sections," Dimande said, his voice hardly more than a whisper. They did not want to be found before the work was completed. He pointed to a narrow side corridor. "The smaller quarry is this way," he added.

They followed after the prince, hurrying down the passageway while trying to watch everywhere at once. Rubeus felt as though danger was around the next corner, and kept his head on a swivel, looking forward, side to side, and even behind them, as often as he could. He wondered how long it would be before they were attacked.

"Here," Dimande said, and opened a large metal door. They all clambered inside except for North Knight and Rubeus, who locked eyes and silently decided to stay and watch for danger. He knew what they would find. A large geode, filled with black crystals created by volcanic activity on the planet. He himself had worked in the mines when he was younger, though it hadn't been by choice. That had been before there were droids to do the work for them.

After watching the earlier cleansing of the crystals, Rubeus knew that it would be a short process. Artemis had brought some sort of magical item that held an attack from Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen. Venus and the others would feed energy into it, and within a few minutes the crystals would be destroyed, turned white, and shattered.

He heard the combined attacks of the others as they destroyed every black crystal they could see while the combined shout of Moon and Kamen seemed to hover in the air. He had no idea who had built the strange piece of magic, but it looked as though it was a simple pocket watch upon first glance. It wasn't until it was opened that the gold and silver light would escape.

Footsteps echoed down the corridor. Rubeus stood straighter, looking back the way they had come. In the shadows he could see movement. And it was growing closer. Droids. The first few didn't worry him overmuch, but more and more appeared out of the darkness. They came from side halls and straight down the main tunnel.

"We've got company," he warned, putting his head through the door. Most of the cavern had already been cleared, but he could see there was still some to finish. Calaveras broke away from the others and hurried out to stand with him and North Knight.

"Lets do this," North growled, and raised his hands. "Stay just behind me. I can absorb the attacks and send them back."

Rubeus grunted, lifted his hand and threw a blast of energy at the approaching droids. Calaveras threw pure white energy at them. He was amazed at how much more powerful they had both become since they had been healed and were no longer hampered by the black crystals they had once worn.

North Knight threw both hands out and also threw white energy. Attack after attack rolled toward them, only to be absorbed and returned with a wave of the man's hands. And then the enemy was too close to send attacks. North pulled out his sword then, and began attacking physically. He and Calaveras followed, each moving rapidly as they stayed close behind him.

The droids didn't seem to care if they hit each other or their foes, and many were destroyed by friendly fire. Rubeus shrugged it off and kept fighting. Soon the others left the destroyed geode and met up with them in the hall. Slowly they crept forward, inch by inch, every bit fought for, until they passed out of the tunnel and into the main chamber.

"There!" Rubeus pointed toward the door where he knew the other team would be. Droids surrounding the door and he could hear the sounds of the other's attacks. "Their being overrun," he added.

"Lets go!" Sailor Venus shouted, and as one they launched themselves at the door.

Only moments passed before the droids blocking their way were destroyed and they found themselves with Sailor Mercury's team. Droids were still swarming into the factory from two other doorways. They threw more attacks until the space was cleared.

"Come on," Venus said. "We could use some help if the last geode was the smaller one. I can't imagine a bigger geode and I don't know how much power is left from the magic in the watch. We've got to get this done fast."

As they trotted down the hall, Rubeus turned to Venus. "Where did the watch come from?" he asked.

"It's Kamen's," she said, not even panting as they ran. "The priest and priestess showed the others how to put an attack inside and Artemis helped us find a way to charge it using our own powers. But the light in it has faded. Most of us use light energy in our attacks. We can finish cleansing the crystals while the others guard our backs."

Rubeus nodded. Light could combat the dark, and he'd seen it again and again. His own light energy had a ruby hint to it since he had been healed. Dimande's was pure white, Esmeraude's had a touch of green, and Saphir's blue. Calaveras had a pure white, bordering on yellow, like Venus and North Knight did. He wondered if they had been born to be the next generation of Senshi. It made perfect sense when he thought about it. But they had been perverted by Wiseman, turning into something they didn't want to be but could not escape from.

"Okay, Rubeus, Calaveras, Dimande, and Esmeraude, you're with me and North Knight as well as Fiore, Ail, and An," Venus said. "Mercury is in charge of the rest."

They divided and he went forward, watching as Venus poured energy into the watch. At the same time he and the others began pouring their light energy into the dark crystals, healing them of the taint of Nemesis. He knew they had to hurry. Wiseman was gone, and it was only a matter of time before he found Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen, and the children.

* * *

_***Usagi's POV***_

They gathered around the massive Black Crystal near the palace in the center of Crystal Tokyo. Sailor Moon frowned as they grew closer. Black veins had formed on the ground, spreading out from the base, where it sank into the earth. It was sending poison into the very rocks and soil. She glanced worriedly at Tuxedo Kamen, but he didn't seem to be too affected by it. Then it hit her. Future King Endymion still slept. He must have been fighting against the poison for a long time, protecting the earth. It would sap all of his energy. No wonder he was a mere shadow.

"Alright kids," Tuxedo Kamen said. "The protection dome will cover all of us, the Crystal, and even the ground below it. Do you all remember what we taught you?"

The children all began to nod and they spread out slightly, adding enough space so that all of them could work. She stood at one end, Kamen at the other. Their eyes locked for a moment before she moved.

"Moon Crystal Protection Dome!" she cried, making the dome larger than she ever had before so that it could encompass all of them. Her job would not end there. She pulled the Moon Wand Higher and readied herself as the others formed a short line. While she waited she focused on the feelings of the others. They were nervous, and yet they all knew they would be successful. Part one of their plan was about to commence and she knew they had to work quickly.

"Golden Crystal Earth Healing Amplification!" shouted Tuxedo Kamen, starting a chain reaction.

"Purple Crystal Earth Healing Amplification!" Chibi Kamen yelled, standing next to him.

"Red Moon Healing!" Far Moon Warrior screamed.

"Moon and Sun Healing Augmentation!" Golden Warrior cried.

"Rainbow Crystal Moon and Earth Healing! Sailor Ladybug shouted, her eyes gleaming as she raised her hands up.

"Dream Weaving Healing!" Helios bellowed.

"Pink Moon Crystal Healing Escalation!" Chibi Moon called.

"Silver Moon Crystal Healing Escalation!" Sailor Moon roared. She lifted the Moon Wand higher and focused on draining the darkness out of the crystal.

As they worked, the color seeped away, not sinking into the ground where it could do damage, but being pulled out and transformed. The Crystal itself became a milky white color, then a large crack sounded like thunder and a chuck fell away from the side. More and more pieces fell, the sounds reverberating through the dead city. Then, all at once, the crystal shattered, falling in on itself in tiny fragments that looked like broken glass. They scattered on the ground, and as their attack continued, faded into dust.

Panting with exertion, the entire group slumped slightly.

A laugh sounded behind them, and Sailor Moon was thankful she hadn't lowered the shield as an attack hit it seconds later. She smiled. The second half of their plan had begun.

* * *

_***Makoto's POV***_

Watching from her hiding place in the rubble, Sailor Jupiter frowned as Wiseman approached the dome slowly. She looked down the line at the others. East Knight stood to her left, and beyond him Blue Moon Knight and Sailor Saturn. At the end of the line were Saphir and Petz. She nodded to each of them to prepare themselves. The wouldn't attack until the time was right. Then they would strike hard and fast.

As soon as the Black Crystal was destroyed, Wiseman blasted the small group. His attack hit the protection dome and faded away. With a shocked, angry cry, he tried again, and then again, to no avail.

"Wiseman!" Sailor Moon shouted.

The cloaked figure growled and tried attacking again.

"We can heal you," she tried. Jupiter was rather sure Wiseman didn't want to be healed. She was certain he had turned willingly to evil, and that sort never seemed to want help.

"You are a bunch of pathetic, sniveling brats. I will teach you. Give me the young ones. I'll train them right. Replace the scum that abandoned me."

"Let us help you," Sailor Moon tried again. "You don't have to die today."

"Fool girl," Wiseman rasped. "You cannot kill me!" He let out an awful laugh that raised the hair on the back of Jupiter's neck.

"We don't want to," Sailor Moon said, her voice full of pleading. It hurt Jupiter's heart to know destroying this creature would hurt her friend. "But we will. We cannot allow you to take any more lives, to destroy this planet, or hurt the people."

Wiseman roared and threw another attack against the shield.

Jupiter watched for the signal. Sailor Moon finally nodded. Jupiter raised her arm, and motioned the others forward. Her group flew out of hiding and each began shouting as they launched their own attacks against the creature.

"Supreme Thunder!" she screamed, hitting Wiseman. The attack sizzled against him, but he threw up his own shield a moment later. There had to be a way to get around it somehow.

Then she saw the six children clustered together behind Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen and they all began to glow. Wiseman's shield disappeared.

* * *

_***Rei's POV***_

Sailor Mars slid closer to the fight. She hoped Wiseman thought he was facing the only enemies he would see, that he didn't realize more were coming. As soon as Jupiter's team hit from the left side, he had turned, facing them. Now, she waited, hand held up, until his attention was completely diverted.

With a swift motion she pulled her arm down and her group attacked at once as they moved out of hiding.

"Burning Mandala!" she screamed, then raced forward and sent another attack.

"Dragons!" Sailor Moon hollered from the dome, then she and Tuxedo Kamen began to change into their royal forms, letting the differences in hair and body been seen as well as their change in combat armor.

Mars nodded, lifted her left hand, and shouted, "Mars Flame Dragon!"

"Fire Dragon!" West Knight yelled beside her.

"Time Dragon!" Pluto shouted.

"Sun Dragon!" cried Sun Knight.

Across from them she saw Jupiter nod. "Jupiter Thunder Dragon!" she screamed.

"Thunder Dragon!" yelled East Knight.

"Blue Moon Dragon!" screamed Blue Moon Knight.

"Saturn Destruction Dragon!" Saturn's voice could barely be heard.

Saphir and Petz, who had not come as far in their positive powers, could not yet create a dragon attack, but they both send waves of their own. Saphir sent a shock of blue light, filled with lightening, while Petz threw rolling waves of her own lightning. They were close. With a bit more work they would have a dragon attack. Mars nodded to them and smiled.

Wiseman attempted to flee, but Sailor Moon was prepared for that. She called down the protection dome without a word, and lifted the Moon Wand. "Silver Moon Crystal Dome Snare!"

Wiseman was trapped, unable to run, unable to defeat so many at once. He sent out attack after attack, but he could not beat them all.

There was a flare of light and the other two teams, who had joined together, appeared. Mars smiled. Wiseman would be no more.

"Dragons!" Yelled Tuxedo Kamen, and as one the Senshi and Shitennou sent another wave of dragons, while the others sent attacks of their own. Tuxedo Kamen moved forward, protected by a smaller dome Mars had not noticed, and pulled his new sword. He stepped in front of Wiseman.

"Last chance," he said, his tone quiet. He glanced briefly at Sailor Moon, who looked devastated. When Wiseman only laughed, Tuxedo Kamen swung his sword and took the head of Wiseman. "I'm sorry," he whispered, but in the sudden stillness his words were heard by everyone.

For a moment it felt like no one breathed, though they were all nearly panting. They stared as the head rolled away over the broken ground, and stopped under a hanging piece of rubble. Then everyone seemed to speak and exult at once, thankful to be alive, thankful they had won, thankful that no one else would be harmed by the taint of evil Wiseman had spread.

Only Sailor Moon shed a tear. Mars watched her swipe it away and paste a smile on her face, turning to congratulate the children for their work, hugging all of her friends and loved ones, and pretending to be deliriously happy. Mars saw though, the hint of deep sorrow that again, someone could not be saved.

Mars was determined to put a real smile back on her friend's face. She raced over and hugged her, then turned her to look at the palace. "There's still work to be done," she reminded her friend. "Still people to be saved."

"Yes," Sailor Moon said, and just a hint of a true smile showed. "Lets go meet our future," she added, winking.

* * *

**Author's Note: **People have been voting. I have received several emails as well as about a dozen other votes for which story to do a sequel on. The votes will end on May fifteenth and the final decision will be made. If you haven't voted and you want a particular story, the list is at the bottom of the previous chapter.

Here is where the vote currently stands.

1\. Kidnapping Sailor Moon - **4** votes  
2\. Losing Control - **7** votes  
3\. The Rose - **2** votes  
4\. The HoneyMoon - **3** votes  
5\. Married Strangers - **3** votes  
6\. The Prison - **4** votes


	8. Chapter 7

**Reverence**: **An Easter Story  
Holiday Series: Book Four**  
**Chapter Seven**

* * *

_***Usagi's POV***_

They all released their henshin as the stood staring at the Crystal Palace. Usagi bit her lip and took a step forward. Then another, and another. Each seemed easier than the one before. There was a feeling of being pulled as she walked. Something was happening within the walls.

"Do you think mommy and daddy are awake now?" Chibi-Usa asked, slipping her hand into Usagi's.

"I think if they aren't then they soon will be," she reassured the pink-haired princess.

"Good," the little one sighed. "I missed them."

"Me too," said Chibi-Mamo, hurrying to walk on his sister's other side. "I've been worried."

"You're always worried," Chibi-Usa countered.

Her twin shrugged but didn't respond. Usagi hid her grin and glanced at Mamoru who walked beside her. The boy was much like him, though tempered by the presence of his sister and more likely to smile. She winked at her husband when he met her eyes. :: So your kid, :: she teased gently.

A mental laugh rolled through her as he teased back. :: She's just like you. ::

Usagi nodded. Chibi-Usa was a lot like her, it was true. She was glad the girl had a twin though, someone to protect her, guide and love her, and to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground. It was going to be extremely difficult to say goodbye to the twins and Mushi. She felt connected to all three of them, and wondered how long it would be before she truly got to have them in her life. She had a feeling Mamoru knew, though he hadn't said.

Tentomushi went racing past them, one hand dragging Takeo behind her. She heard Rei call out for them to be careful and couldn't help the little snicker as the fiery miko held a hand up as though to stop them both from tripping and falling. It was so unlike her friend to be so... mothering. She snorted, trying to hold in the laughter, but then the priestess caught her eye and they both broke down into hysterical giggles.

"Oh Kami, aren't we a pair," Rei said, still laughing and wiping her eyes. Usagi nodded, and hurried to hug her friend. Their world had certainly changed. Only a year before the two of them would have been arguing loudly and probably blowing raspberries at each other.

"I'm glad we've got them," Usagi said, "but I bet it must be hilarious to our parents."

Rei laughed again. "True. Grandfather must wonder if I've been replaced by a changeling."

They all clustered together, keeping a watchful eye on the young ones as they walked. It was Esmeraude who brought up the seriousness of the situation after a few minutes. The six children were all slightly ahead of them, racing back and forth in front of the palace as they walked slowly.

"Do you really think the King and Queen can fix everything?" Esmeraude asked, her eyes bright. "Really fix it all, and bring everyone back?"

"I do," Ami said. "We were all dead when Usagi and Mamoru faced Metallia. But we had sent our last bit of energy to Usagi to help her fight and we watched through the Crystal as they worked together to heal the earth, and all the people. It was incredible."

"And now they've become stronger," Makoto added. "That fight should have been more difficult," she explained, "but it was like Usagi and Mamoru hardly flicked a finger the whole time."

"Don't give us the credit," Usagi argued. "You and your teams did all the work. Mamoru and I had cleanup duty. We were just the bait."

"Yeah," Rei snorted, "the bait that had to cleanse the crystal that destroyed the planet while maintaining a protective shield around yourselves and the children, oh and take the final blow against Wiseman. No big deal."

"Mommy! Daddy!" three little voices shouted, and as Usagi watched Tentomushi, Chibi-Usa, and Chibi-Mamo raced towards the archway into the palace and threw themselves into the arms of the king and queen.

Usagi's eyebrows rose as she realized her future self was hugely pregnant, which meant they didn't have only three children. The royal couple were both weeping over the kids as they hugged them tightly. The king lifted Mushi into his arms and held her close, whispering something to her. The little girl nodded and pointing to the group that was converging on them.

"Thank you," he said, meeting Usagi's eyes. She only nodded, but her eyes were immediately caught by the sight of two more children racing out of the palace towards the king and queen.

"Naru! Toki!" Tentomushi cried, and squirmed to get down. She raced to them and hugged hard. "You're okay!"

Both children blinked heavily and looked around in confusion. Whispers could be heard as they all looked around and Tentomushi told them about everything that had happened. They appeared to be around four or five years old, not much younger than Mushi, but Usagi had the feeling there was more to the story than met the eyes. She thought Crystal Tokyo was much farther into the future than they'd originally believed. Meeting the eyes of her future self she sensed the queen confirming her thoughts.

She walked closer slowly, not sure what to say. When they were mere feet apart her feet stopped almost on their own, and she looked cautiously at herself. "You seem better," she said, keeping her tone light.

"Oh I am," the queen said.

"Is it nearly time?" she asked, knowing they would be asked to help bring everyone back.

"It is time," the Queen said. "But I wanted to tell you that it does get better, and remind you to take the advice your husband gave you in Elysion." Her hand slipped into future Mamoru's as she spoke. "He will always listen."

"Thank you," Usagi whispered.

"A time will come when the whole world sees this," she continued, waving her arm at the palace behind her. "You will be Neo-Queen Serenity and Neo-King Endymion to the public. No one will know you as Usagi except your friends and fellow warriors, and the name will not be spoken except in secret within the living quarters. That time will come sooner than you think, and many battles will be faced in the meantime."

Usagi sighed.

"I don't tell you this to upset you," Neo-Queen Serenity explained. "Rather to remind you what you've been truly fighting for all along, and to tell you to follow your instincts to the very end, as you have always done. That is the result," she said, grinning as she pointed behind Usagi.

Turning, she saw her friends clustered together in groups, laughing and talking. Dimande had Tentomushi on his shoulders and was bouncing her around. Setsuna was snuggling Yuzuki, while she talked to Natsume. Petz and Saphir were holding one another tightly. Minako and Berthier were talking quietly. The others were all smiling, happy, and together.

"Follow your heart and never give up hope," the queen insisted.

"I won't," Usagi promised.

"Good," the king interjected. "Now that that's settled, I want you to make sure Minako doesn't overdo it in the next few months." His eyebrows lifted and Usagi grinned, figuring out what he wasn't saying.

"Consider it done," she said, grinning. "Now, how about we make things grow again," she continued, slipping her hand into Mamoru's.

"We are going to need everyone," the queen said, and smiled broadly. "Chibi-Mamo!" she yelled suddenly, and the boy ran to her side. She whispered something into his ear and he took off running with a whoop.

"It will be just a moment."

Usagi leaned against Mamoru, feeling content as his arm wrapped around her waist, and sighed as she turned to watch the others.

"There is one other thing," Endymion said. "A short time ago a child was kidnapped from within the palace walls. Her name is Heliodor. In some timelines she was brought to the past by Queen Beryl, but thus far we have not been able to discover if this was the case in our own timeline. She has not yet been found, and it is tearing her parents apart."

"Who are her parents?" Mamoru asked sounding worried.

"Haruki and Setsuna. It is their youngest daughter, who was named Helios. Find her if you can and send her back to us. The Ayakashi sisters have been looking for her for months, but there has been no sign."

"We will search," Usagi promised. "We won't give up." Tears prickled behind her eyes as she glanced at Setsuna and Haruki who were standing together with Yuzuki.

"Oh, and you will eventually hear a name. Kinmoku. Dimande and Esmeraude must go there before their younger selves are taken by Wiseman. You will remember this when the time comes."

"Okay," Mamoru said, and his arm tightened around Usagi, who was wishing desperately she could stop Wiseman before he got the chance to get his hands on them in the first place.

* * *

_***Setsuna's POV***_

It had been strange seeing her future self. Stranger still being in a world where everything had been destroyed. Now, as she surveyed the city, sadness threatened to overwhelm her. But she was watching the confident faces of the king and queen. That confidence obviously came because they knew they would be successful.

Chibi-Mamo came back out of the castle and he was followed by her future self, as well as several others. She smiled when she saw what Haruki would look like as he aged. They didn't appear much older, perhaps five years or so, but the time had been good to all of them.

"Wow," she breathed.

Others followed until the future selves of all the Senshi and Shitennou had appeared, as well as the Children of the Makai and several people she didn't recognize.

Her future self stepped forward and lifted her hands. She was already in henshin and Setsuna could tell changes had occurred between her time and this just looking at it. When the others noticed her they stopped talking.

"I would just like to remind all of you not to touch your future selves. We do not know what might happen. Also, do not ask for information regarding the future. It will not be given except in a few rare cases and those things have already been decided and will be told only by Neo-Queen Serenity and Neo-King Endymion."

There were nods from all of them and then Neo-Queen Serenity was ordering them to form a circle. The children were shooed inside to 'play with the others,' while they worked. Setsuna couldn't help but wonder how many others there were. How many children had been born among them? She knew the time between this and their own was roughly a thousand years, though she was sure none of the others were aware of it. She was the guardian of time however and could not be fooled by a circle of mist.

People began to join hands, careful not to touch other versions of themselves. Her own future self settled to the left of the king, future Sun Knight beside her, now in henshin. She and the others all transformed as well.

"Is everyone ready?" the queen asked.

They nodded and their future selves began it, calling on their planetary, directional, elemental, or gemstone powers. A nimbus of light could be seen around each person as they spoke until everyone in the circle glowed and the light grew brighter and brighter. They sent the energy to the king and queen who wove healing over the earth, the people, plants, and animals, and even to the moon in the sky above. The world almost seemed to hum as the energy was sent deep, and she felt warmth and vibration under her feet.

Setsuna watched in awe as the land around her began to heal. Trees that had been broken stood whole once more. Vibrant green grass grew in the park where they stood just before the palace. Buildings repaired themselves, and then sounds came to her ears. First the hum of insects, then the chirping of birds. A dog barked somewhere in the distance. Then she heard the sound of a baby crying and a mother shushing it soothingly. There was a cacophany of voices that was almost overwhelming.

On the street nearby several people picked themselves up off the ground, looked around in confusion, then hurried away as though nothing had happened. Cars began to pass, though they were vastly different from what she was used to. There were no engine sounds from them, and no gases were emitted.

She swallowed the lump in her throat as she willed back her tears, and met the sad eyes of her future self. Something told her that a great weight was about to be placed on her shoulders and she wondered what it was. The sorrow in her and future Haruki's eyes was enough to make her want to weep.

* * *

_***Takeo's POV***_

He didn't want to leave the palace. Not if it meant leaving his new friends behind. He had grown close to Mushi, Usa, and Mamo. Very close. They were all connected and he wanted to stay with them, but he knew he had to return to his own time.

There were dozens more children circling around the six in their group, talking laughing, running and playing. But the six of them huddled together.

"This isn't the end," Usa promised. "We won't let it be the end."

Helios frowned, then whispered quietly to them. "Soon Takeo and Yuzuki will come to the future for another visit. I promise I will come with them. And you will come to the past several more times."

"How do you know?" Takeo asked, his heart hurting from sadness as he clung to Mushi's hand.

"Because I won't leave Usa. She's my soulmate. And Mushi is yours, and Yuzuki is Mamo's. We're supposed to be together in both times."

"What's a soulmate?" Mushi asked.

"It's hard to explain," Helios said. "It's like you are only half a person without each other."

"But I have all my arms and legs," Yuzuki said, looking down at herself with worry.

"It's the inside that counts," Usa said. "Not something ph-physical. It's your soul. Half of your soul is Mamo's, and half of his is yours. You'll get sad without him."

"Then why can't we stay?" Takeo asked. "Why can't we stay now?"

"Because sometimes you have to be apart to realize how special it is to be together," a voice said from behind them. Takeo turned and saw a young boy sitting on a bench. The six children moved closer to him and he continued. "When you can't be with your soulmate, nothing feels the same. The world isn't as pretty and bright and everything seems faded and hollow."

"It will be okay Asahi," Usa said, giving him a hug. "They're going to find her. I just know it."

"Find who?" Takeo asked, curious.

"Heliodor," the boy said, and tears streaked down his cheeks. "My soulmate was stolen from me."

"I'm going to find her," Mamo declared.

"We all will," Usa promised.

"We can help," Yuzuki said.

"There has to be a way," Helios added.

"Don't give up hope," Mushi whispered.

"We'll bring her home," Takeo said, and he felt a rightness in his words. "We will. I know it."

* * *

_***Natsume (An's) POV***_

"It's done," Fiore said, looking around them as the group released hands and stepped back to search their surroundings. An nodded but didn't release him or Ail, who was on her other side. The world felt whole again. But she couldn't sense Mother, and that worried her.

Future Jupiter came to them. "She isn't here," her friend said, voice soft. "Don't worry, she's only on Jupiter. In time you will understand, but I can't tell you too much too soon. I only wanted you to know she was safe."

"Thank you," An said softly.

"Of course." She grinned. "Akane must still be tiny in your time," she continued. "Perhaps six months or so, right?"

"Yes," Fiore said, smiling at the mention of the child they had taken as their own. In truth she had once been a teenager, and had even attacked them, but she had been saved by Sailor Moon and the Makai tree, turning back into an infant in the process.

"Look there," Jupiter said. On the other side of the circle was a young woman with brown hair, wearing a huge smile and talking rapidly with future Mars.

"That's our baby?" An asked, overwhelmed at her beauty.

"It is," Jupiter said. "I just wanted you to see she turns out well. None of this was in vain. There will be battles, wars even, and you will all be tired before it is done. But days like this come after every one of them. Days of joy and rebirth. Days when you can see hope standing in front of you.

"Thank you," she choked out, tucking her head on Fiore's shoulder. Ail crowded behind her and the three of them hugged for a long time. When they finally parted, Akane stood beside them. She blinked away her tears and stared at the young woman. She was so beautiful and had such kind eyes. So different from the girl who had attacked them again and again when they'd been in the group home.

"Hi," she said, and even her voice was velvet. "I wanted to see you," she added.

Without thought An launched herself at the girl, holding her tightly. "I'm so happy to see you," she whispered.

"Me too Mom," Akane said. "Me too."

It was a long time before she let go. The others hugged her as well. And then they were being called to Usagi and Mamoru and told it was time to return to their own time. Part of her didn't want to go back, but she knew that for Akane to become the woman who had stood before them, she would have to return and love her, train her, teach her everything she herself had learned.

Instead of walking back through Crystal Tokyo, they all formed a circle with Sailor Pluto in the center. Sailor Moon, having transformed, encircled them with her protection dome so that none would be separated.

Only three children remained with them, all crying as they waved a final goodbye to the others. Another boy, this one held tightly by future Minako, was also weeping as he waved goodbye to them, and An felt a strange sense of kinship with him. He was missing something, which she understood all too well.

The bright light of time travel blinded her to the others. She closed her eyes as she felt wind whipping at her clothing through the shield. When she opened her eyes again she was in the meeting room at the house.

* * *

_***Ikuko's POV***_

"We're back!" Usagi called through the house.

Ikuko laughed. It wasn't as though she could miss the loud sounds of a dozen teenagers, as well as older and younger warriors. She saw bright flashes as the young ones released their henshin but they were all in their normal human forms when she made it around the corner and threw herself at her children.

"We were a bit worried," she admitted. "It's been seven hours!"

"Sorry," Setsuna said. "I must have miscalculated."

"It's fine," Ikuko assured her. "I wasn't sure how long you would be gone. All of you must be starving though," she added. Then she looked around. Where are Chibi-Usa, Chibi-Mamo, and Tentomushi," she asked.

"They stayed in their own time for a bit," Usagi said, sounding a bit sad. "But our future selves have asked us to train them. Apparently it's difficult to do with people watching them all the time."

"Watching them?" Ikuko asked, confused.

"Yeah, cause Mamoru and Usagi are the king and queen," Hotaru said, grinning. "It's probably hard to get privacy when everyone knows who you are."

"So they're coming back?" she asked.

Usagi nodded her head. "I'm not sure when though. It might be a day, a week, or even a year. I have no idea really. I just know they will be back."

Ikuko bit her lip to keep back her tears, wishing she'd had a chance to say goodbye. She hugged Usagi and Mamoru close, understanding they must be feeling the same way. "Come on," she said, finally releasing them. "Lets get you all something to eat."

"I have to get back to my parents," Helios said quietly. "I'll be back though, I promise." He rushed over and gave her a hug. She kissed his forehead before releasing him, then moved out of the way so he could say goodbye to the others.

After he left, Takeo and Yuzuki looked even more bereft, and Ikuko wondered if there was anything she could do to make things better for them. Taking each one by the hand, she led them into the massive kitchen and settled them at the table while she prepared hot chocolate and gathered some cookies.

The others crowded into the room, settling in at the dining table across the large counter. Talk and laughter filled the air and she gathered some of what had happened while they were gone. It sounded like it had been an intense battle. Meeting their future selves must have been incredible as well.

When baby Akane started to fuss Natsume teared up as she rushed down the hallway to get her. Tomatsu and Seijoru both looked like they might cry as well. She resolved to ask them about it later.

The entire group was rather quiet as she and Makoto prepared a late supper. When the food was gone and the dishes washed and put away, Ikuko moved into the family room and turned on the television, hoping to find a romantic comedy so she had something else to focus on. Instead what she saw shocked and frightened her.

* * *

_***Mamoru's POV***_

"Usagi! Mamoru!" Ikuko called from the family room. "You need to come and see this. Now!"

Fear ratcheted up Mamoru's spine. The tone of her voice said something was very wrong. He locked eyes with Usagi and they both stood and hurried to get to her.

"What's wrong?" Usagi asked, a touch of panic touching her own voice. He rested a hand in the small of her back, trying to soothe her without words.

"Look!" Ikuko pointed at the screen.

On the television they could see that a special report had come on. A red banner scrolled across the bottom of the screen and in the upper left hand corner there was a clock that looked as though it was counting down. It red 17:06:28, and the final numbers were obviously seconds as they ticked away one by one. Below the numbers were three little words that stole his breath. Time to impact.

The news anchor disappeared, only to be replaced by the image of a large celestial body hurtling towards the earth. It was Nemesis.


	9. Chapter 8

**Reverence**: **An Easter Story  
Holiday Series: Book Four**  
**Chapter Eight**

* * *

_***Makoto's POV***_

"That's Nemesis!" Usagi said, her voice full of shock and fear. "How did it get here? We destroyed Wiseman."

Makoto, who had followed them into the room after Ikuko's panicked call, gulped. "It disappeared," she whispered. "I saw it. When Wiseman died the planet disappeared. I thought it was destroyed."

"We were wrong," Rei said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I thought the same thing. I never expected this. How long has it been here?"

Kenji ran into the room, a bundle of papers in his hands. "They saw it arrive only three hours ago," he said, answering the question. "Artemis and Luna are researching it now. I don't really understand all of this, but it's moving fast, and it's getting closer."

"This is a disaster," Usagi said. Looking from face to face.

Makoto swallowed hard and reached her hand out automatically as Nephrite appeared in the room. He calmed her by his presence, but they didn't have much time and they all knew it. They would have to do something quickly to stop the planet's advance.

"It's not a disaster," Mamoru said, his voice calmer than anyone else's. "We've done some incredible things in this life," he continued, and he put his hands on Usagi's shoulders and turned her to face him. "But it's nothing compared to what our parents did in the Silver Millennium. They were able to stop the remains of a destroyed solar system from hurtling into four planets and a moon."

"What?" Usagi asked, sounding confused. "I don't..." she stopped, her hand to her forehead. "I remember this," she whispered. "The net."

"The net," Mamoru confirmed. "The Silver Crystal protects the planets from celestial bodies. It could turn back those meteors and asteroids then. If we join all four of the Crystals together, maybe we can stop this."

"Not alone," Usagi said and Makoto heaved in a breath as she turned to her. "We're going to need all of your help. It's too late to put up the net. Not enough warning. But we can still work together and destroy it, or turn it away."

Makoto's eyes were drawn to the television screen where the image of the planet had changed, growing clearer as telescopes and satellites tracked it's movement. Leaning heavily on Nephrite, she nodded to Usagi. They would do what they had to do.

"We need to plan," Usagi said. "Mamo-chan, get Haruki and Shingo to the meeting room. Mom, dad, can you keep an eye on the news. People are going to be panicking. I'm afraid we might have a major problem. The rest of you need to get out there and patrol the streets. Stop people from hurting themselves or each other."

"We're on it," Makoto said, dragging Nephrite out of the room.

The others were all waiting in the foyer. All of them. They were ready and willing to fight. A sigh of relief escaped as she looked at them. Natsume hurried out with Akane, handing her over to Ikuko, and hurried back seconds later.

Kunzite and Minako stood near the doors. "Alright," Kunzite called, raising his voice slightly. "We need to get out there. In pairs or in threes we need to be patrolling. Calm people down, reassure them that we aren't going to let them get hurt, and move on."

"Henshin yo!" Minako ordered, and with bright flashes of light everyone obeyed.

* * *

_***Shingo's POV***_

"This is insane," he muttered, looking around the table.

Luna and Artemis sat at one side, the white cat seemed to be on the phone, while Luna was looking at the screen of a laptop. They were organizing something. Papers were strewn around them as they both worked, but they were also listening to the conversation.

Haruki sat in near silence, a frown marring his features, biting his lip. He hadn't said a word since they'd entered the room, but had listened intently, growing more and more somber as the story unfolded.

Mamoru seemed confident and Usagi cautiously optimistic. They had a plan, and a memory of how to implement that plan, but it was sheer folly as far as Shingo could tell.

"You want to do what?" he asked, hoping he had heard wrong.

"We are going to teleport to the planet and destroy it from within," Mamoru said.

Nope, he wasn't imagining things. That's what he'd thought he heard. It didn't sound any more feasible or safe the second time around. "And exactly how are we supposed to do that?" he asked. "And while I'm asking questions, how are we supposed to survive the trip as it is currently hurtling through space, burning. But lets not forget, even if we land there safely, we have to destroy the thing somehow. Not just the planet itself, but the biggest debris from it as well, or change it's course."

"It does sound a little insane when you put it that way," Usagi said, but she didn't look as worried has she should in Shingo's opinion.

"Is there any other way to put it?" he asked, trying to keep calm.

"Not really," Mamoru started. "Look, I know it sounds insane, but all we need is the shield to keep us safe while we work."

"The shield that lets in air, in case you've forgotten," Shingo pointed out, "which means it will also let air escape!"

"Not necessarily," Luna said. "There is a shield of sorts on the Moon, over the old palace, and more on each of the planets and moons that used to be inhabited. None of them could sustain life like earth could except Mars, and even that decayed over time as the planet grew colder and the atmosphere changed. We can borrow one of those shields and repurpose it."

"She's right," Usagi said. "There was a colony on Eris that had just been formed. It was tiny. The shield there is portable. Small. It can fit in a pocket. If I can align my shield with that one, then not only will we have plenty of oxygen, we can avoid being harmed."

"And we're supposed to do all of this in the time we have left?" he looked at the countdown clock on the computer monitor across the room. It was counting down the seconds and currently at 16:34:20. It wasn't enough time. Not nearly enough.

"We'll have to work a bit quicker than that, I'm afraid," Artemis said, making Shingo groan. "Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen have been asked to address the nation. I had to do some quick work to avoid every missile in every country being aimed at Nemesis or each other. Now they need reassurances that there is a plan in place. The people are terrified," he sighed.

"I'm terrified," Shingo said, not ashamed in the slightest to admit it.

"I'm sending Pluto and Haruki to get the devise on Eris," Luna said suddenly. "Shingo, you and Hotaru have your own task to accomplish. I need you to go to the moon for a short time."

"Why?" he asked, as Haruki leaned forward looking just as worried.

"They need to talk to the media. Haruki and Setsuna are powerful enough to go back in time together so they can get it done quickly, and you need to go and retrieve your staffs."

"My staff?" Shingo asked, confused.

"Staffs. Yours and Haruki's are both there. Please collect them and bring them back."

Shingo frowned, but nodded. He was scared. He wouldn't deny that even if he could, but he would do what had to be done. "Okay," he said. He stood and left the table. Setsuna and Hotaru were the only ones left in the foyer and he hurried to them.

"What's going on?" Setsuna asked. "Why did Usagi ask us to stay behind?"

Haruki joined them, already talking. "We have a couple jobs to do and we'd better get started. Setsuna, you and I are going to Eris to collect a shield, while Ru and Shingo go to the moon."

"Eris?" Setsuna said with a frown. "But that's..." she trailed off and smiled at him. "Makes sense," she said after a moment. The pair seemed to talk silently, their faces showing expressions as though they were in the midst of a serious discussion, but they said nothing more before they disappeared.

"The Moon?" Hotaru asked. "Why the moon?"

"I guess my staff and Haruki's are there. I wonder if they're anything like the Moon Wand. I can direct my attacks through my sword though, so I don't understand why I need the staff."

Hotaru shrugged. "I don't know, but it's obviously important, so lets go." She henshined and he followed her example.

Holding hands, they both closed their eyes and Blue Moon Knight pictured himself on the moon. Very few of his memories from the past had come back, but there was enough to remember his old bedroom and that was where he took them. They hurried out of the door and into a long hallway with several offshoots.

"Where would they be?" Sailor Saturn asked.

He wasn't entirely sure, but he had an idea. "There is a chamber behind the throne room where only those of Lunarian Royal blood can enter. Haruki's mother was Lunarian royalty before she married his father, so he would have access, and so would I. It's the only place I can think of where my former mother would know they'd remain safe.

"I wonder what they look like," Saturn said, her voice full of wonder. "Do they look like my glaive and Setsuna's staff, or are they more like the Moon Wand and Earth Scepter?"

"Earth Scepter?" Blue Moon Knight frowned. "I know he carries that short staff, but I've never heard it called anything before."

"It doesn't stay short," Saturn explained. "I saw them practicing after they received their birthrights," she continued. "It changes forms, and so does the Moon Wand. Which means yours and Haruki's are probably the same. And the Crystals can be attached. And it's called the Earth Scepter. Yume told me when we were in Elysion."

"Oh," he said, as he opened the doors to the throne room. "This way. I don't think you can enter, but I don't know for sure."

"No. I doubt I have Lunarian blood, otherwise we wouldn't have been together."

Blue Moon Knight only nodded as he walked past the dais where the throne stood and down several steps to a small door with a crescent cradle marked on it. "Give me two minutes," he said, and entered.

Runes were marked into tiny signs along shelves that lined either side of the small room behind the door, but his gaze was caught by a rack with hooks for four items. Two places were empty and one of those had a silver moon marked over it, the other the planet Earth. The last two places were marked by a blue crescent moon and an orange sun.

The Blue Moon Staff was about two feet long. The staff itself was a deep blue marked with tiny silver crescent moons. At the top was an orb, mostly clear, but with a tinge of blue to it, and there was a place where his crystal could be set into that orb. He reached for it and the staff glowed, the orb brightening the room until hazy blue light filled it entirely. A sigh escaped his lips as his hand warmed.

Then he found The Sun Scepter, which was about the same length, made of a coppery material with orange gold starbursts along the length. At the top was another, much larger, starburst. At the center was a place where the Yellow Topaz Crystal could be placed. There was no reaction when he picked it up however, and he was glad. It wasn't his to use after all.

His gaze was caught by a tiny scroll worked in silver and blue. It glowed as he approached. He wondered for a moment if he should leave it and not touch, but the closer he came, the more he needed to hold it. His staff grew brighter and brighter, and when he stopped in front of it, the scroll moved, wiggling slightly as though to escape it's place on the shelf. Confused, he held out his hand and touched it. The light of the staff grew even brighter and then the scroll was gone.

Confused, he began searching for it, but the staff warmed in his hand and as he looked at it, the tiny silver scroll seemed to disappear into a piece at the bottom of the staff. He watched as it sunk inside and a silver piece covered the end. Unsure what had happened, he touched the butt of the staff. The scroll appeared in his hand and he opened it.

"The Lists of Life," he read. And he smiled, finally understanding part of his purpose. The scroll would help him record the births and powers of each new hero. He would know their deaths as well, and none of them were going to die in the coming fight. He flooded with reassurance and hope.

* * *

_***Haruki's POV***_

Sun Knight's arms tightened around Sailor Pluto as they disappeared from the foyer in the house they shared with the others. Pressure hit, then blackness, for the space of a heartbeat, and then he opened his eyes into the wonder of space. They stood on a nearly empty dwarf planet. He knew from memories of their past life, which had been returned when their Soul-Bond formed, that Eris had an elliptical orbit that passed through the range of both Neptune and Pluto. It was smaller than the moon that orbited Earth, but it was big enough to have sustained a small colony.

Looking over the area he could see the dwellings that had been built. They had been destroyed in the war against Metalia and Beryl, and the tiny palace that was being build had never even been completed. The colony surrounded a broad fountain, at the top of which glowed a bright green stone. It was this stone that enabled the settlers to have a breathable atmosphere and grow plants and trees, though nothing grew there anymore. The fields had been razed in the attack.

"There," he pointed, and Pluto followed his hand to look.

"Lets go grab it and get back," she said. "I don't like being so far away from Usagi."

"That's always bothered you, hasn't it? That you had to be so far away from her?"

"It bothered all of us," Pluto answered honestly. "I think Haruka was affected the most however. They are distant cousins after all. And she wanted nothing more than to train Serenity with the sword."

Sun Knight grinned. "I got to help with that a little. She might have regretted it. She accidentally stabbed me once."

Pluto laughed at that. "She accidentally stabbed herself too, from what I was told. Then again she accidentally took down an entire band of kidnappers by tripping over the hem of her dress."

"I almost wish clumsiness hadn't been trained out of her," Sun Knight said. "She was so much happier running free with Endymion. I helped them sneak out a few times."

Pluto glared. "I know," she said primly, "and nearly got them both killed for your troubles." She couldn't keep the corners of her mouth still however, and her grin made the censure fall flat. "She was happier when he was around. There's no mistaking it."

They reached the fountain, a dry basin that had once held bright green water so sweet and pure it could quench thirst for days. Sun Knight sighed as he stepped over the edge and made his way to the pedestal in the center. It was tall, but shaped in a helix design so he began to climb the side of it, and when he reached the top he plucked the green stone from it's place and put it into a small pocket inside his tunic. He didn't want to chance putting it in his subspace pocket for fear it would no longer protect them on the planet.

"Got it," he said, and jumped down. "Now lets get back to our friends before something else happens."

He reached Pluto and wrapped his arms around her again, pulling her in for a kiss that made the pressure and darkness of teleportation unnoticeable. They appeared back in the foyer and hurried to go into the city and help the others. They had to keep as many people calm as they could.

* * *

_***Kenji's POV***_

He sat next to Ikuko, who was biting her nails, rocking back and forward on the couch as they watched the news. The anchor was speaking in a serious, but frightened, voice.

"Scientists believe the object to be a dwarf planet. There is no record of it ever having been seen before, but it appears to be roughly half the size of our moon, spherical in shape, and has a slight green hue. Scientists say any number of scenarios could have caused it to fall out of orbit, but the most likely is that it's orbit crossed paths with another celestial object and the resulting force pushed it away."

"Or it came on it's own," Kenji grumbled. "I still don't understand it. That's a planet. It doesn't think and feel does it?"

Ikuko shook her head. "No idea. I overheard Luna say something about a connection with Wiseman. I think she's of the opinion that Wiseman and the planet were one and the same somehow."

"It still makes no sense to me."

"Me either. I just hope everyone can get finished with what they need to do."

They both stared at the television. On the screen the countdown continued. 15:45:28. They were running out of time. He had seen Shingo and Hotaru nearly half an hour before, and Haruki and Setsuna minutes later, but they'd gone out into the city to join the others. It was Usagi and Mamoru who had his concern.

Going on air was dangerous. He had to protect their identities somehow, though he wasn't sure if there was a way to keep the secret forever. He knew they would be on every news site in the world in just a few moments, and the anticipation and fear were making him dizzy and nauseous.

"It's time," said Artemis from the doorway.

The anchor disappeared and the backdrop of the emperor's palace appeared. Settled in front of it was a podium with the flag of Japan (the Hinomaru) flying behind. There was no one on the stage at first, but then a bright light appeared and Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen, surrounded by the gold and silver of their teleportation, stepped forward.

It was Tuxedo Kamen who spoke, but he could hear Artemis muttering the words along with the boy and for some reason it made him grin. Obviously they had carefully worked out what would be said.

"My name is Tuxedo Kamen, and this is Sailor Moon. We've come to speak to you tonight because of a threat that is coming toward our planet. The name of the threat is Nemesis. I can assure you all that together with the Senshi, the Shitennou, and the Hogosha, Sailor Moon and myself are working to end this threat. We have a plan that will break the dwarf planet apart and obliterate the pieces."

Before he could go on a reporter from the crowd asked a question. "How do you know you can do this?"

Sailor Moon cleared her throat. "While you have not known us very long, protectors of this planet have been around since the dawn of man. Threats of this nature have been faced before. Many centuries ago there was a cataclysm in a neighboring solar system that sent debris to this galaxy. In that time there were more of us, and there was more warning of the event, so a plan was undertaken to protect all the planets that would have been effected. We were quite literally born for this task. The Crystals that help us defeat the enemies we have faced thus far are connected to the celestial bodies in our solar system, and to us. They were created for the sole purpose of protecting life within our solar system."

"How will you destroy the planet?" another reported asked.

Tuxedo Kamen raised his hand and the Golden Crystal appeared on his palm. Half a heartbeat later Sailor Moon lifted her own hand, displaying the Silver Crystal.

"Only a short time ago a great evil escaped captivity and tried to destroy the planet," Tuxedo Kamen said. "At that time only Sailor Moon and myself were able to fight. When the creature Metalia was defeated many people, plants, and animals were dead. We've all seen evidence of this. With only these two Crystals the planet was restored. But we are not the only two who hold crystals. Each new protector holds their own Crystal. Some are more powerful than others. They all have different purposes, but they are meant to protect the people of this planet. That is their goal, their purpose. If we can restore the Earth with only two, then we can certainly complete our plan with many more."

"How will we know if you succeed?" the first reporter asked. "This is an extinction level event. Shouldn't we be going underground?"

"We certainly won't stop you if tht is what makes you feel safe," Sailor Moon explained. "However, we don't want people-"

She was cut off by someone in the crowd. "And how can we trust you? If those Crystals are so strong why doesn't the government have them?"

Mamoru held up his hand, the Crystal disappearing from his palm in that instant. Sailor Moon's disappeared as well. "The government cannot use them. Only those born to protect the planet can use them. We however do work with the authorities often. We contact them before and after battles, inform them of injuries, and help them to keep track of victims so that their medical bills and any property damage can be taken care of by the fund that was created. We don't have a choice in fighting for you. In fact, once, we tried to walk away, but it is not possible."

"But some of your number used to fight for our enemies!" the first reporter said, sounding angry now.

"That's true," Sailor Moon soothed. "But because of that we have made a form of protection so that it can never happen again. None that join our ranks can ever be turned evil. There is a link that is connected through all of us, and through the Crystals. Once someone has been healed they are added to that link for their protection as much as ours and yours. What they were put through is something I wouldn't wish on anyone, but they have been healed and are no threat to any of you." Sailor Moon paused and looked at the countdown clock standing to the side of the podium. "I wish we had more time," she said softly. "Unfortunately we must go and destroy the threat now. We cannot leave it too long or there is a chance we will not be able to destroy all the pieces in time. Please be safe."

Artemis gave an angry growl as the two heroes disappeared from the stage. Kenji wanted to join him. For over a year Sailor Moon and the others had been fighting to protect the people of Tokyo and their motives were only now being called into question. Ikuko hissed at the screen as several people approached the stage and started answering questions.

Artemis flicked his tail angrily, then jumped down from the table and made his way out of the room. The teenagers had gathered in the foyer and Kenji could see them through the doorway of the family room. He stood and went out to them, clearing his throat.

"I just want you to know," he said, looking at his daughter, "not everyone questions your motives. Many people support you. Please be careful out there, and come home safely."

Sailor Moon leapt across the room and threw her arms around him, making him wince. She was much stronger in her hero form. "We will daddy," she said.

Then she was backing up and he moved away, back into the family room, and wrapped an arm around his wife. Takeo and Yuzuki were both in the nursery with Akane. They would not be going on the adventure. Not this time. But he had faith in all of them. They would do what needed to be done. They would give their lives if necessary in the process. He hoped it didn't come to that.

* * *

_***Mamoru's POV***_

"Here," Sun Knight said, passing a shining green stone to Sailor Moon. "You're matching your shield to this, so you need to carry it."

Tuxedo Kamen caught sight of it. It certainly didn't look like a machine. It rather resembled one of their crystals, though it was smooth. There was a glow from it however that lit her cupped hands.

Blue Moon Knight held out a scepter to Sun Knight. The moment he took it there was an orange glow around him and it seemed as though they could all feel a hot wind over their skin for a moment.

"Place your crystals in the staffs," Sailor Moon ordered. She showed them by pulling the Moon Wand and placing her own Silver Crystal inside. She closed her eyes for a moment and the wand became a long staff, about sixes inches taller than her own height.

Tuxedo Kamen followed her example and pulled his scepter, then the Golden Crystal. He placed the crystal into the prongs and closed his eyes, knowing he needed the scepter to grow. As he watched Sun Knight did the same, and then Blue Moon Knight. Now each held a long staff as well.

"When we healed the planet, we focused on the need. It was a Heart Wish. The same is going to be true for destroying Nemesis," Sailor Moon explained. The others will guard us as we break the planet apart, and then all of us will make sure there are no large pieces that could harm the earth."

There were nods of agreement around the circle surrounding them. Everyone closed in and they joined hands or put a hand on the shoulder of one holding the staff. He had concerns about the task they were going to undertake, but he and his wife had decided before they began not to show anyone their own fears. They needed strong leadership until the threat was gone and they were fully able to support each other untit that time.

:: We've got this, :: Sailor Moon said into his mind, catching his worry. :: We will protect them. ::

:: Yes, we will. :: he said, and smiled.

It was the Senshi that teleported them this time, using their Sailor Teleport. Sailor Moon threw up the shield around them all and they found themselves in space meters above the dwarf planet. On the side furthest from earth there was not as much pressure or heat. They landed there and he, Sailor Moon, Blue Moon Knight, and Sun Knight stepped into the center of the circle. Each lifted their staff.

"Focus on destroying this planet completely," Tuxedo Kamen instructed. Then, as one, they lowered their staffs with a thump into the strange dirt that covered the surface. He focused his mind, picturing the planet destroyed, only grains of dust remaining. His eyes closed, his thoughts turned inward, he hardly felt it as the ground began to break up under their feet.

The Senshi maintained the teleport, Sailor Moon maintained her shield, and the little green stone kept breathable air flowing around them.

Tuxedo Kamen didn't know how long he stood there, but it felt like forever before someone touched his shoulder. He turned his head and opened his eyes to see North standing right behind him. Then another hand touched him and he saw East Knight. Their friends closed in on them, each reaching out to touch one of those working to break the planet apart. He could feel their energy flowing into himself and the others, their link strengthening exponentially. With the boost of power he heard a large crack, and then another. The ground beneath them began to shake and break apart.

More and more he focused his will, and then he heard the sounds of attacks around him, but he kept his eyes closed and his mind focused on complete destruction. It wasn't what the Crystal had been made for, but it was a start. Then Sun Knight groaned. Opening his eyes he saw a bright light surround him. It was so bright he had to look away. He felt more than saw Sun Knight lift his staff and bring it back down. And then, as he and the others watched, the planet disintegrated beneath their feet. Hot flame licked at the pieces until they were nothing more than ash that disappeared into the darkness of space.

When it was done, he met the eyes of all the others, and looked under him. They were floating on nothingness. Around him was a sea of stars, and planets, and the sun. It was the most incredibly beautiful thing he had ever seen. As he watched the last of the dust slip away into space he made a wish that it would find a place to land and it would grow into something incredibly beautiful that would never bring pain or destruction again.

His eyes met those of his wife and he saw knowledge in them. Knowledge only he shared. The others, who had poured their help, their powers, and their faith into the four who were using the creation crystals, had begun a chain reaction in their own. Their actions would cause the crystals to grow and change, becoming more powerful, and finding their own purpose.

* * *

_***Nephrite's POV***_

When they arrived home the city was quiet. He could hear the television on in the background and the news anchor talking about the planet's disappearance and what it meant for the people of earth. If he was honest, he was too tired to care. They said hello to Ikuko-mama and Kenji-papa, as well as to Ami's mother, Saeko, and to Grandfather Hino, but then he and the others trudged slowly up the stairs to their rooms.

Before he parted with Makoto he turned to her and pulled her into his arms for a tight hug. He was so thankful she was in his life. He kissed her cheek and turned to open his door. At his window he looked out into the night sky and saw a series of stars blazing in the darkness. They glowed brighter than they ever had before and Nephrite sighed happily. Long ago, when he had been a prisoner in the dark kingdom the four stars of Pegasus had been his way of judging how far they had come from being evil.

Now they seemed to pulse in the night, growing even brighter, and he couldn't hold back a smile. They had done so much, and tonight they had been willing to sacrifice everything, including their own lives, to save the people of Earth. He knew his heart was whole. He had known it since he woke. But in spite of the many battles he had fought alongside Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen, he had always worried he would never be capable of the same self-sacrifice. Now he knew and that knowledge filled him with indescribable joy.


	10. Epilogue

**Author's Note: **Here it is, the last part of book four. I really hope you've enjoyed the story up until now and that you continue reading Dedication: A Mother's and Father's Day Story, which is Book Five of the Holiday Series.

In other news, there are still a few days left to vote on which of my other stories you want a sequel to next. At the moment Losing Control seems to be the main contender. So let me know by sending me a private message or adding it to your review.

* * *

**Reverence**: **An Easter Story  
Holiday Series: Book Four**  
**Epilogue**

* * *

_***Dimande's POV***_

"It's time to have a serious discussion," Usagi said the moment Dimande sat at the table. He wondered what was going on.

Only a few days had passed since what the press had dubbed the Battle of Nemesis, which was a silly thing to call it, since there had been no actual battle. He and the others had done their best to help at the time, and he had felt so connected to the Senshi and Shitennou in that moment that it was as though they had become a family. He couldn't imagine a new enemy had appeared, but the serious way the others were looking at them caught his attention.

"What's going on?" he asked nervously.

Minako suddenly laughed. "Names!" she said spreading her arms and showing them a stack of file folders she had been hiding. "All of you already have first names of course, and the Ayakashi sisters know their last names, but Esmeraude told me the rest of you don't know your last name. Also," she said, holding up a hand. "You can't use your real names in battle and then go to school with them."

"School?" Saphir asked, groaning. "Why should we go to school? I'm eighteen!" He looked scandalized.

Kenji cleared his throat at the head of the table. "First, not all of you have reached eighteen yet, which means some of you will be going to high school."

More groans surrounded the table as Rubeus and the two youngest Ayakashi sisters realized that mean they would be soon following the others out the door every morning. But Kenji wasn't done.

"The rest of you will be required to either go to college, or look for reasonable employment. You need identification, which means we have to discuss names. Furthermore, as with the others, you need to keep your identity secret. The girls have each thought of names for the sisters and if they agree, those will be their warrior identities from this point forward. Usagi will make sure no one remembers their names from earlier battles and that will be that."

"What about the rest of us?" Dimande asked.

"Kunzite," Mamoru said.

The silver-haired man waved down the table. "The guys and I have been thinking about that too, but you may think we're being too obvious so the final choice is yours of course."

"What are they?" Dimande asked, speaking for the rest.

"We considered calling you White Warrior, Green Warrior, Blue Warrior, and Red Warrior. Your Crystals are too close to your given names to use them or it would have been Diamond Warrior and so forth, but we think this gives you just that hint of anonymity."

"Can we have a little time to think it over?" he asked, unsure what the others would feel about it.

"Of course," Kenji interjected. "As for the girls," he pointed to Minako.

"Ami started this, so I think she should go first."

Ami smiled shyly. "For Berthier, Rain Warrior."

Minako grinned at her then smiled down the table. "For Calaveras, Light Warrior."

Makoto went next. "For Petz, Thunder Warrior," she said, grinning.

Rei cleared her throat, "for Koan, Fire Warrior. Again, not the most original names, but it was what we could come up with."

"I like it," Berthier said immediately. The others agreed, nodding their heads and smiling. It gave acknowledgement to the skills and powers they had.

Esmeraude cleared her throat. "Would it be okay with you girls if I took your last name?" she asked, blushing brightly. Dimande squeezed her hand under the table.

"Yes!" came the resounding cry from the Ayakashi sisters.

"You're like a sister already," Petz added.

"The three of us," Dimande added, looking over at Saphir and then Rubeus, "could take the last name Gem," he suggested. The others nodded and Rubeus gave him a grateful look. They would be brothers now.

"Good. Then it's settled," Kenji said, and Minako slid the folders down the table to him. "I'll get these filled out. Meanwhile, you four think on your warrior names," he added, looking at Dimande. He nodded in agreement and smiled.

"So," Mamoru said, looking at him. "What do you want to do?"

Dimande wasn't sure. He'd never been asked such a question before. When he had been young he had been taken by Wiseman, and ever since he had been forced into being the leader of an evil regime. He wanted something vastly different from that. Something where he could help people. But he also wanted to use some of the things he had learned.

"I think maybe college is the answer for me," he said finally. "I don't know yet what I want to do, but you and Usagi have inspired me to become more than I was."

He heard Usagi sniffling, and smiled at her. Things between them were no longer uncomfortable, for which he was extremely grateful. She had been helping him get over what he had been forced to do, and he thought maybe it was helping her as well.

"I want to open a beauty shop," Petz said suddenly. The girls all sounded happy and excited about it and talked over one another for several minutes.

"Maybe I'll go to school for business so I can help," Saphir said, looking at Petz. She grinned at him.

Rubeus looked confused more than anything else. "I have no idea. Maybe it's a good thing I have a year of high school so I can figure it out." He gave a weak grin and looked as though he might be sick at the thought of actually figuring out his own future.

"We can set you up with a guidance counselor," Kenji told him. "Even if it takes time, you'll find something you truly want to do."

The red-head nodded acceptance and began playing with the food on his plate. Dimande reached for a box of the sugary cereal he had come to enjoy and the large jug of milk. He thought about his own future while he ate, and occasionally glanced over at Esmeraude, wondering how their relationship would progress now that there was nothing evil forcing them apart. He wondered if they would someday get married and have children.

* * *

_***Helios's POV***_

Helios sat down beside his sisters and picked up a bunch of grapes. They were one of his favorite fruits. He liked the sweet, slightly sour taste of the green grapes and the very fruity, sweet, juicy purple grapes. Neither of his sisters particularly cared for them, but to Helios they were a delicious treat.

His father, Yume, handed him thick sliced bread with golden honey dripped over the surface. Grinning, he took a bite and smiled. "Thank you," he said.

"Of course. So, tell me how it was when you went into the future. How did it make you feel?"

"Sad, happy, angry, frightened, and joyful," Helios answered. His sisters looked at him askance, but his parents only nodded. He continued. "There are many good and wonderful things in the future and many things that are very sad. I made a promise to help fix one of those things."

"I know," his father said, a serious look on his face. "And this you will accomplish, soon, though it won't happen as you expect, I'm certain."

"Soon?" he asked, a hint of worry coming over him.

"Soon. Something is coming," his mother, Maboroshi, said looking up at the sky.

Helios looked up, not seeing anything, but a sudden shiver ran down his spine. He could feel something wrong with dreams. Specific dreams. The dreams of children.

Wala and Áine, done with their meal, jumped up from the bench and went into one of the fields of flowers. They were in training now, to protect the world of dreams when he took the Long Sleep so he could be with Chibi-Usa. Now though, they were simply running and playing in the grass.

"What is it that's coming?" he asked, worried. "Will it hurt my friends? Will Chibi-Usa be alright?"

"I cannot tell you all the answers," his father said, a stern look in his eyes. "You remember, the journey doesn't change you if the knowledge is already given."

Helios nodded, ducking his head in shame. But worry filled him. He would protect Chibi-Usa and the others. If the coming battle had to do with dreams, who better to help them then the next priest of Elysion?

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well all the votes are in and Sailor Moon Super S: Black Dream Hole is our next featured story. I warn you now, it's nothing like you've seen. With new characters involved, a heart-wrenching side story, and the beginnings of true love in various forms, this story will have it all. Love, drama, passion, and a thrilling adventure. Right after I tallied the votes, at about midnight last night (which was May 7th) I stayed up for hours writing out the plot and a few little scenes I thought incredibly important. It all came to me in a rush and I just couldn't stop. I am so excited to share it with all of you!

If you love the kids you've met, I think you will enjoy the three that will be introduced in the next tale. The Battle of Nemesis has launched our heroes into world-wide fame and brought the attention of a new enemy! And lets see what happens when Koan meets a handsome but bossy red-haired man who wants her help!


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